


Why do you call him an idiot?

by Yvion



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur didn't get the call though..., Arthur is a Prat, Gen, Lots and lots of raised eyebrows, Merlin doesn't get stamped as the town idiot, Merlin is no servant, Merlin is proudly claiming the one brain cell in Camelot, Mild Gore, Nothing too grafic but more than the show, Slightly less of an ass Arthur, Swearing, good!Morgana, physician!merlin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:14:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 68,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24494863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yvion/pseuds/Yvion
Summary: "This merits something quite special!", the king intoned. Merlin had a bad feeling about this."You shall be rewarded a position in the royal household.""But I alreadyhavea position in the royal household!"This is the story of how Merlin didnotget 'rewarded' by becoming Arthur's dogsbody and became an actual physician instead. Will destiny still find a way to unite the two to usher in the Golden Age they always promised us?Let's find out, shall we?
Comments: 203
Kudos: 469





	1. But I already have a job!

**Author's Note:**

> I do of course own nothing of BBC's Merlin except my alternative interpretation of how the story could progress. I don't know, how far I will take this yet, but I do have some things planned out.
> 
> If anyone has ideas, I would gladly take them into consideration. Well then, let's start the ride, shall we? =D

"You saved my boy's life. A debt must be repayed."

"Ehm. Well-"

"Don't be so modest. You shall be rewarded."

"No. Honestly, you don't have to, your highness." He tried to intervene somewhat respectfully, but was overruled.

"No, absolutely. This merits something quite special!", the king intoned. Merlin had a bad feeling about this.

"You shall be rewarded a position in the royal household."

Merlin had enough. "But I already _have_ a position in the royal household!", he all but shouted.

"What?" The king obviously wasn't used to interruptions. Merlin realized he might just have dug his own grave as he observed the slowly rising fury in the monarch's eyes. The prince however seemed absolutely gobsmacked and just a little bit... impressed? 

Thinking it best to clarify things Merlin hastily elaborated: "I'm apprenticed to the court physician."

The king had obviously not expected this. He raised a skeptical eyebrow, looked Merlin over from head to toe and called out to the physician in question: "Gaius! This boy claims to be under your tutelage. What do you have to say to this?"

Gaius came forward from his place at the far wall of the room, respectfully bowed to the head table and explained: "He speaks the truth, your highness. Merlin here has only just arrived in Camelot the day before and I have decided to appoint him as my apprentice this very day. I planned to introduce him properly, but the day has proven rather hectic with all the guests arriving for the festivities. I do hope you can forgive me for my tardiness as well as his impudence." 

Gaius threw Merlin a deeply unapproving glare, which managed to properly chastise the boy. Uther, being accustomed to the effective use of his old friends eyebrows, was actually amused by the interaction.

"No offense taken, Gaius. I do however trust that you will implore on him the proper ways to address his betters."

"Certainly, my Lord. I will make sure of that." The relief in both the physician and his new apprentice was palpable, which further amused the king.

"Now... seeing as the boy already has a respectful profession, we will need to find a different reward to give him."

At this Merlin perked up, seemingly alarmed again. "This really isn't necessary, your... erm- highness."

"This won't do. You have saved my son's life. Such an act needs to be properly compensated."

"If I may suggest something, my Lord?" The king gestured for Gaius to speak.

"As he is to become my apprentice he will have a lot of subjects to study and while my personal collection of research material may be sufficient for my day to day use, I do believe he would profit greatly, if he were to gain access to the castle's library as a scholar."

Uther had never fancied himself a passionate student, a trait he had apparently passed onto his son, so he failed to see this as a worthy reward for saving the life of royalty. However one glance at the unrestrained hopeful look of the boy made it clear that this would suffice in his eyes. So who was he to look a gifted horse in the mouth. If this was all it needed to make the boy happy and prevent him from calling on a life debt to the crown one day...

"Very well. I shall inform Geoffrey that your apprentice is to be granted unrestricted access to the castle's library."

"Thank you, your highness!", Merlin and Gaius chorused as they both bowed deeply.

"Now then", the king announced to the whole room, "I believe we have a feast to uphold. Let the festivities continue!" 

* * *

  
"Seems you're a hero."

"Hard to believe, isn't it?"

"No actually. I knew it from the moment I met you. Seeing as you saved my life as well, you know?" Gaius nudged him good naturedly as he sat down beside Merlin on his bed.

Hearing him say it like this warmed Merlin to his core. He had been so very anxious until now. Here he was at the heart of Camelot and practically the first thing he did was to reveal his magic to this absolute stranger. But ever since... Gaius had shown him nothing but kindness and good advice. Plus he had bailed him out of whatever plan the king had concocted for him. A position in the royal household? What if he had made him his personal servant or something? Surely he would have been dead by the end of the week.

"Seems like we have found a good purpose for your talents."

"What do you mean?"

"I saw how you saved Arthur's life. Perhaps that's its purpose."

Merlin huffed at that. "My destiny."

"Indeed. To save and heal is the sworn destiny of every physician in the land", the old man intoned gravely. He continued in a much lighter tone: 

"I have a gift for you, Merlin."

With a kind smile he handed Merlin a heavy tome. The young man held the leather bound foliant reverently as he opened it to the first page. 

"Basic anatomy of the human body. Wow. Erm... Gaius, I don't know what to say. I-"

"I thought since you have been officially established as my apprentice, we should start your education as soon as possible. So I chose some light literature on the first subject you should learn."

 _"This_... is _light?!"_ Merlin almost dropped the book that practically weighted more than all his worldly possessions combined.

"Certainly. And here is another one you should have a look at while you study", he deadpaned as he flopped a second tome, which was only marginally lighter than the first, onto his lap. Merlin had serious doubts about his life choices as he noticed the amused smirk of his new master. 

"You should open it." He nodded to the new edition of Merlin's workload.

Wearily Merlin opened the offending book and was confused for a moment as he didn't find a title, but instead: "Is this... Is this a compendium of magic spells?! Gaius!"

"This has been in my possession for a long time now. I believe it will be of more use to you than it ever was to me."

Merlin was absolutely overjoyed as he flung his arms around his new mentor. The old man was surprised only for a moment before he returned the hug.


	2. New responsibilities

Merlin was whipping up his very first wound salve, which he had made completely by himself, while listening to Gaius' lecture about the many uses of comfrey. He was quite content. The salve was turning out exactly as it was supposed to be (according to his own judgement at least) and the overall smell of herbs had a very calming effect on him. He was quickly associating the particular fragrance of the physician's chambers with a sense of home.

His peace of mind was unfortunately rudely interrupted by a rapid knock on the door. They didn't even get the chance to answer as the door flew open immediately and a slightly disheveled knight stormed inside.

Gaius quickly jumped from his chair as he got straight to business: "Sir Leon! What happened?"

The knight, Sir Leon, was obviously in distress as he frantically answered: "It's Arthur! He got injured on patrol."

Gaius grabbed his emergency satchel, which as Merlin knew held a variety of bandages, salves, tinctures and whatever else might be needed for immediate treatment of the bloodiest of wounds. "Where is he?"

"Right here", an annoyed voice sounded from the door as the prince walked inside. He was walking on his own - a bit stiffly, but upright. His skin looked a bit queasy, but the way he was standing there with an unnerved scowl on his face... He didn't really seem all that injured to Merlin. The only things giving him away were the sloppily bound bandages around his tight as well as the fact that the other knight was attentively hovering near him, as if he expected the prince to keel over any second now.

Gaius however did not seem surprised by this as he ordered: "Merlin, give your chair to the prince. I need to see to his wounds." He didn't wait for Merlin to hastily abort his chair as he addressed Arthur instead: "Come sit here. What happened to you, my lord?"

Said lord grudgingly sat down under the watchful eyes of everyone present as he gave his report: "We got ambushed on our routine patrol through the outlying villages. The outlaws spooked our horses and used the distraction to launch a surprise attack."

"I was more interested in the cause for your injury and whether or not there is anything aside from the obvious cut in your rectus femoris."

Merlin only just did _not_ manage to stifle his laugh at this, which got him a royal glare from the prince and a judging eyebrow from his mentor. Arthur chose to ignore him: "No Gaius. I'm feeling fine. The cut isn't deep. I can still walk just fine."

The prince seemed adamant that all of this was just a waste of his time. As soon as Gauis finished wrapping up the cut, he stood and posed to leave them. Merlin couldn't help the feeling that something wasn't right here. He glanced at the other knight and noticed him squeaming in his place as if he wanted to say something, but couldn't. Arthur was marching stiffly to the door. Too stiffly... Almost rigid. As if he didn't want to lean forward...

Merlin stood in his way.

"What are you doing?" Arthur's patience was running low already. He didn't want to deal with this impudent peasant right now.

And impudent he was as he answered: "Wrong question. I have a better one. What are you doing, hiding your injuries from the court physician?"

"I'm doing no such thing." He moved to get around Merlin, but was again stopped.

"Really?" Merlin eyed him skeptically. "What about your chest?"

This got him multiple reactions. Arthur looked shocked and indignant for being called out like this. Leon seemed to be very relieved and Gaius looked surprised as well as impressed. Before the prince could try to deny anything else, Merlin grabbed his chainmail and lifted it up. This got him a flinch, a hiss and a view of a deeply discolored ribcage.

Merlin rose his eyebrow at him. "So... You were saying?"

After being discovered Arthur's shoulders slumped just a tiny bit as he admitted: "I might have gotten caught up in the horses bolting."

"Meaning you got kicked by a horse and possibly trampled over even before the bandits got to chop you up."

"I was _not_ trampled over!"

"But kicked into a tree."

"... Maybe." The prince was blushing slightly as he averted his gaze.

The following silence only reigned a moment before Gaius impatiently patted the chair Arthur had just vacated. Without being prompted to do so Leon removed the prince's armor to give the physician access to the wounds. Gaius prodded him for a while and finally announced: "I can give you a salve for the bruises. It will help with the swelling, but two rips are broken. Those will have to heal on their own. You are not allowed to put any strain on them until I deem them properly healed. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes, Gaius."

The physician turned toward Sir Leon. "Now. Is there anything else I should know?"

"No, sir", the knight was quick to assure.

"Good. Merlin? Have you finished your salve yet?"

The boy startled from being addressed so suddenly and in such a comanding tone to boot.

"Err... yes. At least I think so?" He jerkily brought his bowl of salve to him.

Gaius took it and turned back to the prince. "You will administer this once every morning and again before going to bed."

He handed him the bowl, which the royal took hesitantly.

 _"Merlin_ made this?", he asked warily, which offended Merlin greatly.

"Got a problem with that?", he chipped back.

He was properly ignored as Arthur elaborated: "I mean... Is it _safe?"_

Now it was Gauis turn to be offended. "Arthur Pendragon! I have served your family for many decades and not once have I administered a cure that caused you any harm. I have instructed my apprentice about the mixing of healing salves and observed him produce this very batch of it. Do you really believe me to be foolish enough to give you any cure, I would not deem _safe_ enough to apply?"

The prince looked properly chastised. "No. No of course not."

Gaius grunted in approval. "Now to bed with you. You need rest. Sir Leon? Can I trust you to escort his highness back to his chambers?"

"Certainly!" The knight jumped to attention and gently lowered the chainmail back onto his prince. The two fled as hastily as Arthur's injuries allowed.

* * *

"What part of 'Do not put strain on your injuries' was difficult to grasp exactly?"

"I didn't strain them", the prince sounded in an almost pounding manner.

"You were training with the knights!"

"Only the knight hopefuls. That's not stressful."

Both physician and apprentice gave a deep sigh of resignation. Merlin gathered the salves and bandages that would be needed for the treatment as Gaius begun to restitch the wound on Arthur's leg. While talking, he accentuated his points with a bit of rough needlework: 

"No _running,_ no _training,_ no horse _riding_ and definitely no sword _fighting_!"

It was obviously quite a challenge for the prince to stop himself from flinching with each stitch. At least it got the message across. He gave a very strained smile as Gaius finished his ministrations.

"For how long will I have to... restrain myself?"

"You will be officially banned from the training field for at least three weeks."

"Three weeks?! But Gaius! The tournament is in three weeks. I cannot neglect training before that! Also I've had much worse injuries before and was allowed to train after two weeks at a maximum!"

"That was because you behaved as advised and actually got some bedrest."

"I can't get bedrest now Gaius! This is important. I can't be out this long."

"And I can not trust you to know, when to stop yourself."

The two were having a stare off with constantly deepening glares. Merlin quietly chuckled to himself as he put the equipment back where it belonged. This got him the prince's attention: "And what do you find so funny?!"

"Oh nothing. Just that a few days of rest would be enough to get you to the point that light exercises would actually benefit your health. Too bad you can't sit still long enough, so it will take much longer than necessary." Merlin shrugged as he finished his cleanup.

"Is this true Gaius? I could train after a few days of bedrest?"

The physician scowled. "In theory you could, but knowing you, you would instantly reopen your wounds, given the chance." He gave this a thought and continued. "Unless...", his gaze fell on Merlin, "Unless someone would supervise your health in your stead."

Arthur too was looking at Merlin now, who upon understanding what Gaius was trying to say quickly raised his hands in a defensive manner.

"No! No no no no. I'm not gonna be his babysitter.", Arthur looked as if he wanted to protest, but Merlin quickly continued, "I'm not even qualified. I only just started my apprenticeship. How would I even know, when to stop him?"

"You certainly have the eye for it. Your observation yesterday was quite astute, especially for someone with this little training."

"That was only because I got kicked by a horse before. I remembered how that hurt, so I recognized it."

"So you can apply past knowledge to the present case. You are more qualified than I thought", Gaius stated with a smirk.

No. Just no. This was ridiculous. He was not going to be at the back an call of this supercilious prat. And the guy shouldn't want this either, shouldn't he? He had thrown him in the dungeons a mere minute after meeting him. A glance at the prince confirmed him in that assessment, as he saw his own resentment mirrored back at him. But unfortunately, the prat also looked as if he was calculating. As if he would actually consider this. Oh please no.

"So you're saying, if Merlin here would accompany me to the training field, I could hone my skills for the tournament."

"That is exactly, what I'm saying."

The prat gave a long suffering scowl as if he was making a huge personal sacrifice before he stated: "Very well. So be it. You will meet me at my chambers in three-"

"Five!", Gaius interjected.

"... Five days at sunrise. Don't be late."

"But-"

"That's an order, Merlin." Arthur overruled him with passion before dramatically limping out of the room. Merlin stared at the empty space he had left behind.

"Do close your mouth, Merlin. You will attract flies."

He snapped his mouth shut. But not for long. "You can't be serious."

"I assure you, I am quite serious."

"No. No, you can't! You are assigning me, ME, to constantly be at the side of the prince of Camelot? The fricking son of Uther fricking Pendragon?!"

Gaius noticed that Merlin was close to hyperventilating at this point. Not good. He tried to soothe him somewhat: "There is no need to worry. They do not know of your talents and you will give them no reason to suspect a thing. No need to get too involved. Just observe the prince and restrict him once he is taxing himself too much."

"You are aware that you are basically throwing me before the monsters of my nightmares, do you?"

"I'm sorry Merlin. I didn't think of it that way. I have lived with them all my life and I assure you: Arthur is a good man. Even if it doesn't look that way at first glance, he does care about his people. No harm will come to you."

"I'll believe that, when I see it." Merlin was not convinced. At least he wasn't panicking anymore. But why him? And why?

"Why is this sich a big deal anyway? Why can't he just sit this one out? This certainly won't be the last tournament Camelot will ever host."

Gaius signed. "No it won't. But as he is the heir apparent to the throne, his strength symbolizes the strength of Camelot as a whole. He always had great expectations thrust upon him. As such he is under the impression that he can not allow himself to be viewed as weak."

"Is that why he tried to hide his injuries?"

"Most probably."

"That's idiotic."

"That's the way it is." Gaius apparently deemed the subject closed and started to make the signature grub he called supper.

Merlin moved to help him with the hope to somewhat get some kind of taste into the meal. They were working in comfortable silence until Merlin voiced: "There is just one thing, I don't understand."

"And what might that be?"

"How come, you didn't notice his pitiful attempt at secrecy?"

Gaius laughed heartily. "Oh I did."

"Then why didn't you stop him?"

"I was going to, but you were quicker to jump in his path. I wanted to see, how you would handle it."

"It was a test?", Merlin asked in disbelief.

"In a sense."

"So how did I do?" He was quite intrigued.

"Hm... Good observation and quick thinking. You noticed his unusual symptoms as well as behavior and stoped him before he could further injure himself."

Merlin smiled at the praise.

"However", the smile fell, "Next time around you would do well not to tare at a knight's armor before assessing his injuries. You might as well have jarred a wound and significantly worsened the situation at hand."

"Oh."

"Yes. Oh."

"I'll keep that in mind..." Embarrassed by his thoughtlessness, he stirred the grub.

Gaius glanced at him from the side, then added: "Yet... Not just anyone would have dared to stand up to royalty this resolutely, even if it was in his own favor. It was a great display of compassion and bravery. I am convinced that you will be able to put a stop to his shenanigans, if the need arises."

He took an unlabeled pot from the cupboard and actually added some seasoning to the food.

Merlin noticed what he had done and grinned. Maybe this wouldn't end in disaster after all.

* * *

Five days later Merlin found himself at the edge of the knights' training field with his book of anatomy in his lap as he passively watched the prince hacking away at his companions. He would have much preferred to study his other learning material right now. But that would probably get him executed quicker than shouting: 'Look at me! I'm a sorcerer, in the middle of the knights of Camelot!'. He would prefer not to find himself at the wrong end of those swords, thank you very much. He read the passage about the specific names of the twenty-seven bones of the human hand for the third time without actually remembering anything. So he closed the book with a huff and observed the prince instead.

Arthur was still dominating the fight with his bulky opponent, but he did seem to tire more quickly than before. He also seemed to slightly favor his left leg. That was all the information Merlin needed. If Gaius had to restitch that leg-wound one more time, heads were gonna roll. More precisely: His head was gonna roll and he also didn't want to find himself on the wrong end of some foul smelling potions either, thank you very much.

"There, there. That's quite enough. Let's call it a day, shall we?", he called out as he entered the training field.

All around the knights stoped their movement only to gape at him. Arthur's bulky opponent turned around and raised his sword at him. Oh shit. What had he done now?

"How dare you?!", the man raged at him, "You dare interrupt the noble duel of Camelot's finest knights? The insolence!" The pointy end of the sword was now mere inches away from his throat. 

Merlin gulped heavily and tried to reason with the man: "I didn't mean to offend. It's just that... I was appointed to monitor the prince's health and-"

"Now you're implying his highness is weak?!"

"I didn't say that."

"I should cut you down where you stand, you vermin!"

The 'knight' actually posed to attack Merlin, but before the sword could move so much as an inch, it was flung out of the man's hand.

 _"Sir Darek_.", Arthur stood protectively in front of Merlin, "Do I have to remind you of the oaths you have sworn to uphold until your dying breath?" Sir Darek looked even more surprised than Merlin at the fierce demeanor of the prince as he continued: "Is it not the sworn duty of every knight to protect the citizens of the realm?"

The chastised man looked as if his whole world was being shattered right in front of him. Compared to Arthur's imperious voice, the knight's defense sounded almost like a whimper: "But sire, he was-"

"Just doing, what he was tasked to do: Monitoring my previous injury, preventing it to worsen and thus shortening my healing process. The court physician entrusted this honor to him personally. Now tell me Darek, do you really think a little insolence warrants the execution of an upstanding citizen?"

The knight meekly shook his head, but didn't voice an answer.

"No. I didn't think so. You will take fifty lapses around the field while deliberating on the core values of knighthood... Now!"

The man jumped to obey and sprinted to the edge of the field, where he started his first of many lapses. Arthur turned to the rest of the knights:

"And what are you all gawking at?! Get on with your training!"

Everyone hastily continued to hack at one another. Arthur huffed as he purposely strode away from the center of the field. Merlin followed him to one of the buckets, where he splashed some water to his face. Merlin took one of the towels and handed it to him. The prince accepted it without acknowledging his presence. He seemed to look practically everywhere except at Merlin, who had trouble processing what had just happened. After a little while Merlin found his voice again.

"Thank you.", he stated honestly. Maybe he had been a bit quick to judge the prince after all.

Said prince just huffed in place of an actual answer and threw the towel back at him, which Merlin had not seen coming. So it hit him straight in his face with a resounding splat.

"Hey!", he exclaimed, "I'm trying to thank you here!"

"You really need to learn how to address your betters."

"What? I thought you were on my side?"

"Whatever gave you that idea?"

"Didn't you call me an 'upstanding citizen' just now?"

"You? Never.", he deadpaned.

Merlin gasped. He wasn't entirely sure if it was in fake or genuine outrage. He was about to give the prat a piece of his mind, but he noticed that Arthur's breathing was still heavy as if he was still exerting himself. He was obviously not feeling well and probably had trouble breathing.

"You really shouldn't overexert yourself like this. Does your chest hurt again?"

Arthur was surprised at the sudden change in demeanor. He seemed to struggle with some kind of decision before finally his shoulders dropped just a tiny bit and his whole posture slumped just enough that only Merlin would stand close enough to recognize the difference.

"A bit.", he confessed.

"You know... Running around in these hot chunks of thick metal probably doesn't help an already troubled breathing."

The prince huffed again, but raised his arms to his side. He was standing like this and looked pointly at Merlin. After a few seconds he raised an eyebrow. 

Merlin was confused and voiced as such: "What?"

"Remove it then." Arthur looked at him expectantly.

"I, err...", Merlin looked at all the intersecting plates and many, many straps and buckles. Maybe he could approach this like a puzzle and just start to-

"What are you doing?", the prince asked him incredulously.

"I'm... removing the metal chunks?", he stated tentatively.

Arthur looked at him as if he had stated the sky was in fact green. "You have to loosen the pauldron before you can unhinge the breastplate."

"Ehm... sure."

"... That's the vambrance, you idiot."


	3. Of proper titels and when to use them

After that whole debacle on the training field Merlin was seriously scared. Not of the knights, no. He could handle a few brutes with pointy sticks, if need be. Gaius on the other hand... oh boy. So instead of facing him head on, Merlin quietly opened the door to the physician's chambers and silently slipped through. With a little luck he could get to his room unnoticed and at least postpone the confrontation for a few more hours.

  
Unfortunately he didn't plan for his bag to get caught up at the table. The whole thing rumpled loudly as some vials went flying over the edge. Gaius turned around just in time to witness the glass stop in midair. Under the watch of a very disapproving eyebrow he floated them back to their place on the table. 

  
They were silent for a moment until Gaius sighed and stated in a very calm manner: "You really need to get that under control."

  
"I know."

  
"The book has a chapter on meditation. That might be helpful."

  
"I'll look into it. Actually, I'll do that immediately!" He repositioned the bag onto his shoulder and hurried towards his room. He didn't get far.

  
"No. First you will eat. You didn't get any lunch, did you?" He rightened the table before placing two plates on it.

  
"Oh, no need. I'm not hungry. And this is much more important anyway. So-"

  
_"Merlin",_ Gaius called out in a stern voice, which really didn't leave any room for argument. He pointly gestured to the chair. Merlin obeyed. The meal wasn't much. Just some bread with cheese, but it did fill him up. He wouldn't admit it now, but he had actually been quite hungry. He was slowly starting to relax into his seat. Turns out he shouldn't have let his guard down.

  
"So how was training today?", the old man asked in a casual tone.

  
Merlin got startled and managed to swallow his food into his windpipe. He coughed violently, but a very professional, well aimed slap to his back allowed him to breath again. He cleared his throat one extra time before answering.

  
"Good. It went well. You were right to assume, prince prat would ruin his health again, if given the chance. So I advised him to stop and he called it a day."

  
Silence.

  
"So that was all? No... unexpected complications?"

  
"No. Nothing worth mentioning." The boy was sweating bullets.

  
"Very strange. You see, I do recall overhearing a rumor about a boy, oddly matching to your description, that almost got himself beheaded in the training grounds today."

  
"Really? Err... I didn't see him. Must have happened after we left."

  
_"Merlin!"_

  
"Ok, ok! But he wouldn't have beheaded me! At least Arthur wouldn't have let him... I think."

  
"You think."

  
"Yes. He actually defended me from Mr 'Most Honorable Knight'."

  
"That's not the point here, boy! How did you even get into that situation?" Gaius was tiredly pinching the back of his nose.

  
"I just did my job! Arthur was overexerting himself, so I intervened before he got himself hurt." Merlin huffed as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. There was nothing wrong about that. He was supposed to do just that, wasn't he?

  
"You interrupted a duel." The old man placed his face in his hands.

  
"I guess so. Why does that matter?"

  
"Merlin. To knights a one on one duel is about _the_ most sacred of rituals. It's not just about beating each other up. They prove themselves to be worthy of defending the crown. They display their character, as well as prowess and a duel with the prince himself is in and of itself a great honor for anyone. An honor many strife to be worthy of one day. If a knight got chosen by the greatest warrior Camelot has to offer to test his skills, it may just be his once in a lifetime chance to get recognized by the crown."

  
Merlin was deliberating on that for a moment. "I... didn't know that. No wonder he was so angry."

  
Seeing the remorseful look on his wards face, Gaius sighed deeply. "Tomorrow you will accompany Arthur again. You will speak as little as remotely possible for you. You will wait until Arthur has finished his duel before unassumingly informing him of his limits for the day. Afterwards you will head straight to the library. Tell Geoffrey, the librarian, that I send you to learn the customs of nobility."

  
Merlin didn't object to any of this.

* * *

The next evening Merlin found himself pacing in front of the door to the library and mentally repeated the checklist Gaius had given him.

  
"Ok. Enter the library. Be tactfully quiet, but do not sneak around. Wait to be addressed before saying anything. Announce that Gaius send me. Politely ask for literature on noble culture. Thank the librarian. Do not offend anyone. Leave without any more death threats to my head. Easy."

  
He turned to the door and raised his fist to knock, but halted. Was he supposed to knock? Knocking would go against entering quietly, but just waltzing in unannounced might be much worse. Shit! What was he supposed to do now? That wasn't on the checklist! 

  
Before he could work himself into a panic the offending door actually opened from the inside as a scholar left the room. Merlin took his chance and hastily entered before the door could fall close again. He breathed a sigh of relief on the inside, but yelped as there was a loud **BANG** behind him. In his haste to enter he had grabbed the door with such a force that it had made quite the impressive noise hitting the frame. He tentatively raised his eyes to the unimpressed Geoffrey of Monmouth seated at the desk before him.

  
"You must be Merlin."

  
He wanted to affirm and continue on with his list, but didn't get the opportunity as the librarian continued: "While I have been informed that I have to let you enter as by royal decree, I will have you know that I do not appreciate unlearned peasants in these sacred halls of wisdom. Those who do not cherish the written word will not be welcome here."

  
Merlin scowled at that introduction. "Well I don't know about 'cherishing' any words in particular, but I do quite enjoy to read."

  
"Ah. So you can at least read. I had feared I would have to appoint someone to teach you even the basics of education. How much knowledge do you have then?" 

  
The old man had broken eye contact as he returned to his notes. Meanwhile Merlin was unsure how to answer that question. How did one measure knowledge? Was he supposed to list the books he had read? "Well... I have read about herbology and started on human anatomy. Back in Ealdor, that's my home village at the border of Essetir, I mostly read about fairy tales and a bit of history. We didn't own many books." There also was his magic book, which he was devouring at an alarming speed, but he kept that a secret.

  
The librarian didn't sound remotely interested as he instead asked: "Can you write and count, boy?"

  
Now that was a rude thing to ask a person who is striving to become a physician. "Of course I can! How would I calculate the ingredients for a potion, if I couldn't even count? Also, this is a list of books Gaius wants me to read through. I wrote it myself as he told me the titels over the last days. So would I be allowed to borrow these or not?"

  
He went up to the pult and slapped the parchment onto the table. He instantly regretted his actions as he saw the angry look of the librarian. Before the man could reprimand him for it, he tried to apologize while hastily backing away: "I am very sorry. I apologize for my rudeness. As you may have guessed already, my experience with nobles is very limited and that is the reason, Gaius recommend these particular books for me. As by the king's decree I need to learn how to 'address my betters' post haste."

  
Following that seemingly sincere apology, Geoffrey decided to at least hear him out and turned his attention to the list the boy had 'handed' him. The lifelong scribe couldn't help but notice the impeccable penmanship. The boy certainly new his letters. 

  
The written titels also told a story in itself:  
  
_Camelot's unique herbs and how to find them,  
An analysis of trading in cities compared to road merchants,  
Camelot's rights and laws,  
Compendium of the nobles houses of Camelot,  
Royal customs and noble norms,  
Beginner literature for the young lord and lady,  
The knight's code of honor,  
Negotiations under pressure - Or how to stay alive with a knife at your neck._

  
This list in itself had almost made him laugh out aloud. He couldn't keep in his chuckle as he read the last paragraph, which he recognized as Gauis' way more messy script: _"Please Geoffrey. This boy is going to be the death of me. He can be quite clever, if he want's to, but his impulsiveness does get get in the way of things and I need him to keep his head on his shoulders."_

  
For the first time Geoffrey actually took the time to properly look at the boy. While his lesser upbringing was evident in his lanky, almost malnourished body as well as his ragged clothing... His eyes held a spark that spoke of intelligence and an open mind. Also, he looked very nervous right now as he was wringing his hands.

  
Geoffrey crossed his arms in front of him and leaned back inside his chair. After observing the boy for a moment more, he answered: "Since Gaius is an old friend of mine, I will give you a chance. I shall show you, how the library is organized so you may find the books you are looking for."

  
"Yes!", the boy exclaimed. He happily went on: "Thank you very much! You won't regret it, I swear."

  
Geoffrey wasn't so sure about that. But still... The lad seemed genuine and eager to learn. "The first thing you should pay attention to and which you have wholefully ignored throughout our conversation is this: When conversing with someone of noble birth, you have to use his or her proper titel. So try again. How are you formulating your gratitude towards a noble?"

  
"Thank your, your high- er... my lord?", he ended hopefully.

  
Geoffrey sighed deeply as he massaged his temples. This would probably take a while.

  
"Since I was born the third son of my house, I did not inherit my father's titel of 'Lord Monmouth'. That honor went to my firstborn brother. According to my birthright it would be proper to refer to me as 'The Honourable Geoffrey of House Monmouth'. But considering that I am also a retired knight, a simple 'Sir' would suffice."

  
The boy scowled again. "How was I supposed to know that?, he asked incredulously.

  
"I just told you, did I not?"

  
"You explained the rule to me, yes. But I have never met you before. How was I supposed to know your whole family history?"

  
"That is why you properly introduce yourself with name and rank before conversing with someone you do not know."

  
"Are you telling me all those nobles are supposed to introduce themselves when they fist see me? Because that certainly didn't happen. In fact, you didn't either!", he burst out and after a second added: "... Sir."

  
"Don't be ridiculous. A noble wouldn't introduce himself to a commoner."

  
"In that case how am I supposed to know about the history of ever single highborn in the land?"

  
Huh. Being born a noble himself, he had never encountered that particular problem before. 

  
"You will just have to memorize them beforehand."

  
The boy blinked. He stared at the librarian as if waiting for a punchline to a joke, wich unfortunately never came.

* * *

  
"Stupid nobles, stupid titels, stupid stuffed up Camelot!" 

  
Merlin was muttering under his breath as he hurried through the many hallways of the castle. Gaius had insisted for him to deliver all the many potions and tinctures the highborn of the land may or may not need at all. Seriously. Tincture to make the eyes prettier? What the hell? 

  
He was almost finished with his rounds and had presumably only accidentally insulted about seven different nobles. At least that was the number of nobles, who had called him out on it... He had probably offended every last one of them in one way or another, he mused bitterly. How the hell was he supposed to familiarize himself with them if every few seconds someone got offended by the way he held a vial out to them? What the hell was wrong with these people?!

  
He was so occupied with his cursing that he didn't pay attention while turning a corner. So of course he full out crashed into someone, who was coming his way. He almost dropped the bag containing all the empty vials and scrambled wildly to keep it at an almost, which ended with him flat on the ground while he desperately held the bag above his head. Thankfully none of them seemed to have broken.

  
"Are you alright?"

  
He turned around and was surprised to see none other than the raven haired beauty, who had captured everyone's attention at the feast. She was looking at him in an interesting mix of concern and humor as she seemed to deliberate whether she should call for Gaius. 

  
"Er... yeah. I think I am", he answered awkwardly as he jerkily got up and tried to straighten his rumpled clothes. Suddenly he remembered that she too was a noble. Oh no. 

  
"I am terribly sorry! I didn't mean to- I, I er... I mean, are _you_ alright? I didn't bruise you, did I? Oh god. Please forgive me, I didn't-"

  
"Stop!", she intoned sternly. "I am _not_ such a delicate flower that I would be incapacitated by a little bump in a hallway. _You_ on the other hand seem to have hit your head quite a bit if all that rambling is anything to go by." She looked him other critically.

  
"Oh no, that's normal. I never could get my mouth to shut, when I really needed it to."

  
_"Really?_ Do tell." Merlin completely missed the sarcastic tone and went on.

"Oh yeah. Just a few days ago I called a prick out for being an ass. Turns out, he was the fricking son of the king. One would think, that a night in the dungeons and a visit in the stocks would deter me from sassing him again, but oh no. The very next day I go hook, line and sinker, when he baits me. He actually tried to kill me for speaking nothing but the truth! And all that just because I didn't manage to hold my tongue for just one second."

  
"Like right now?", she asked very amused and with a glint in her eye.

  
Merlin hesitated just a second before he nodded to himself and stated: "Exactly."

  
That was it. She lost her composure and started to laugh heartily. Merlin would have laughed with her, but he was stunned by the image of a fine lady laughing her ass off at his expense. They stood there in the otherwise empty hallway for a while until she somewhat got herself under control again. 

  
"So _you're_ the peasant hero, who had Arthur running amok in the lower town!"

  
"Jep. That's me. I'm Merlin by the way." He reflexively held out his hand in greeting. Then he remembered his past encounters throughout the day, but before he could retreat his hand... She actually shook it. What?

  
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Merlin. My name is Morgana. I am the king's ward and very pleased by your actions regarding Arthur. He certainly needs to be put in his place from time to time. I am very glad, there is someone else out there, who can kick him down a notch." She was grinning at him with such an expectant look in her eyes, it was hard not to squirm.

  
"I will certainly keep that in mind, your highness", he stated with a smirk.

  
She scowled. Oh no. He knew that look by now. Why? Why?! What had he done? It was going so well for once!

  
"What did you just call me?" Her gaze was icy now. How could this turn around so quickly? He asked her very, _very_ tentatively: "Is 'your highness' not the correct way to address you?"

  
Her anger turned to confusion, then to indignation. "No of course not! I may be his ward, but I am not that man's daughter and I _will not_ be addressed as such."

  
Something about how she seemed to curse as she mentioned Uther struck a cord in Merlin. "I am very sorry. I didn't mean to offend. ... If you don't mind me asking... How _am_ I supposed to address you?"

  
Now she was even more confused. "Shouldn't that be obvious?"

  
He huffed. "It probably should, but you see... I grew up in a border village. Veeeery far away from any kind of nobility. Until last week I had never seen a rich person in my life. Everything is so different here from what I'm used to. Back home no one gave a damn about how they were called. Heck! My best fried comes running, if I call for the "stubborn goat" out in the streets! And now? Now I seem to offend everyone I meet. Highness, Lord, Honourable, Sire, Sir. How am I supposed to know, who to label what? Apparently that all connects to where, when and to whom they were born as well as what they decided to do with their life and how the hell am I supposed to know everyone's life story, if I haven't even met them yet?! This is so frustrating! You actually were the first noble to introduce themselves to me, but you only called yourself 'ward', which in my town means 'child of choice', but apparently not. And somehow I don't think, calling you 'your wardiness' would have gone any better."

  
By the end of the rant the boy just looked so defeated, Morgana completely forgot being offended. "I see how that would be a problem."

  
"You do?" That was not the answer, Merlin had expected. To be true, he had already braised himself for another evening in the stocks. She further defied expectations when she chuckled again.

  
"Did you... Did you just call me 'your wardiness'?"

  
When he opened his mouth, but didn't find an answer, they both burst out laughing simultaneously. Somewhere in the far away distance of Camelot's hallways maids were furiously spreading the newest rumors about the mysterious boy, who could get the untouchable lady Morgana to loose her composure so easily.

  
Once they had reclaimed some sense of control over themselves, Morgana continued: "I'm going to tell you a secret technique, which you will certainly find very useful, Merlin." She gestured for him to get closer. When he did so, she whispered in his ear. "Whenever you encounter a woman in an expensive dress, call her a lady."

  
"But what if she isn't a lady?"

  
"Believe me Merlin, every woman in a fine dress _wants_ to be a lady. If she is one, good for you. You addressed her according to station. If she isn't, she will be flattered by your complement.-"

  
"Because I would suggest, that she actually _looks_ like a lady. That's genius!", he exclaimed exitedly. 

  
Morgana was amused by his enthusiasm. "Not genius. More like 'courtly intrigue'."

  
"Is there some kind of cheat for men too?"

  
"I fear, the rougher side of nobility is a bit more difficult to please. You were right. Men need to be categorized according to all the aspects you listed before. One really needs to basically memorize their family history to avoid stepping on anyone's toes." Hearing that the boy visibly deflated. Morgana deliberated shortly before she made a decision. "But you know what, Merlin?", he peaked up at that, _"I_ happen to know _all_ the juiciest gossip about essentially everyone in Camelot. I could certainly share a fair bit of information over a cup of tea or two."

  
"You would teach me? You would actually do that for me?" Merlin couldn't believe this. Was he dreaming? Had he hit his head after all? "Why would you do this?"

  
"Anyone, who can rile Arthur up like this, is worth investigating."

"Even so, I couldn't impose on your time like this."

  
"I will have you know... stitching is a very dull and tedious pastime, which is unfortunately expected of me to spend my time on. I would very much appreciate some company while I work on it."

  
Merlin was slowly letting his hope fester. "You're really sure about this?"

"For heaven's sake, Merlin! Your first lesson shall be this: If a lady invites you to tea, you will say 'Thank you, my lady. I am most honored and will gladly take you up on that offer.' without jumping around like a three-year-old."

  
Merlin happily laughed at that before leaning down into a deep bow and announcing in a low tone: "Thank you, lady Morgana. I am most honored by your offer and will gladly take my time to keep you company during your work. May I suggest the evening hours for our endeavor since I do have my own chores to attend to as the physician's apprentice?"

  
"The evening hours would be most welcome indeed, good sir."

  
Merlin blinked. "I... am not really a sir, am I?"

  
"Very good. There is hope for you yet."

  
Once again the two found themselves chuckling like little girls. This time it was Merlin, who took up the conversation: "I guess, I should finish up my rounds now. Gaius probably already wonders, what kind of trouble he has to bail me out of this time."

  
"Very well. I will await you in my chambers tomorrow evening then."

  
"I'm looking forward to it." They shared a last smile before turning around and going separate ways. At least until Merlin turned around and called out to her.

  
"My lady! Wait! I almost forgot. I was just on my way to deliver your sleeping draught!"

* * *

  
"And those guys over there?" Merlin pointed at the knights practicing with the training dummies.

  
"Sir Cadoc, Hampfrey, Bors and Edinbrew." Arthur was seriously annoyed. How did he end up being the personal royal library of this idiot anyway?

  
"Ah! So that's Hampfrey!", he exclaimed. "What's his title then?"

  
"Didn't we go over this already? He's a knight! Have you already forgotten what we talked about two minutes ago?!" This was ridiculous! Why was he even having this conversation? It wasn't his job to explain common sense to this dunderhead.

  
"But what about the dispute? Does that change things?"

  
What was the idiot talking about? Arthur didn't need to ask as Merlin just talked over him.

  
"I mean if it's currently on debate whether he or his twin brother shall inherit the land of their late father, how are you supposed to address either of them? Would they be insulted by still being called 'sir'? Would calling one of them 'lord' discredit the other?"

  
Their father had passed away? When had that happened? "Well, the firstborn will henceforth be the lord of the estate, while the other stays a knight. Simple.", the prince answered with conviction.

  
"But there was that unfortunate accident at their time of birth, which resulted in their midwife tragically passing away and ever since no one is actually sure which one of them is the eldest. Hence... the dispute."

  
Arthur stared at him incredulously. "How on earth would you even know about that?!" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutout to Fatvbirhd, who did an amazing job of explaining how medieval titels actually worked. Thank you very much for your feedback, constructive criticism is always welcome. 
> 
> I hope, you can enjoy the story a little bit more, now that that little bump has been ironed out. ;P


	4. Valiantly dealt with

Over time Merlin had adapted to his new routine. He would get up early to make breakfast for Gaius and himself. Afterwards he accompanied Arthur to his training sessions. He would use the time to study the various topics Gaius had assigned to him until he deemed the prince to be finished. Afterwards he headed back to his master to do whatever the day demanded. Producing and delivering potions, checking on patients, gathering herbs and whenever there was time for it, he would get lessons from Gaius himself. Sometimes he even found the time to head to the library and study under the ever watchful eyes of Geoffrey before heading to Morgana's chambers for a pleasant evening with the lady as well as her maidservant.

  
On one such evening Merlin was happily scrubbing the windows of Morgana's chambers, when Gwen entered with an arrangement of steaming teacups.

  
"You really don't need to do this, you know? You're not a servant after all."

  
He finished up the last corner and put the rag away, while answering. "But I want to, because if we finish this up quickly, you can join us for the tea!"

  
Gwen shook her head fondly and was surprised, when the tray got taken away from her by a smiling Morgana. "He is right, you know? It would be a shame to miss out on your company, Gwen. Well then, let's all sit down and enjoy Gwenivere's superb blend of tea."

  
Gwen blushed at the complement as the girls set the table. The three sat down and savored the first sip in a comfortable silence. Morgana was the first to speak again: "So I heard, that Sir Hampfrey's newborn said his first word yesterday. Curiously, he and his wife are apparently trying to hide, wich word it actually was. I am quite intrigued. Has one of you heard anything about it?"

  
Gwen mused: "If they are trying to keep it secret, it must have been quite scandalous. So he certainly didn't call out either of their names."

  
"Which is quite a pity for them. The lady Ludia actually refused to hire a nursemaid for she didn't want the boy to bond to someone else before themselves..." Morgana glanced at Merlin, who was staying suspiciously quiet so far. She squinted her eyes in suspicion. "You know something, don't you?"

  
He took another sip of his tea to stall a little before answering. "... I might."

  
Gwen was getting excited. "Really? Were you actually there?"

  
"... Yes, I was." He started to blush slightly.

  
Morgana had a creeping suspicion. She mock-gasped in shock. "He didn't!"

  
Merlin seemingly tried to hide behind his cup. Gwen started laughing. "Really Merlin? How did you manage that?"

  
He finally put the cup down in favor of gesticulating wildly. "Well, it wasn't on purpose, that's for sure!"

  
Morgana shook her head. "How can it be, that ever since you came to Camelot, _you_ are at the center of all the juiciest gossip?"

  
"I don't know!", he groaned, "And I have no idea, what to do about Sir Hampfrey or his _wife!_ She got so angry, when the boy started 'speaking'. It wasn't even a proper word! It came out more like 'Lin-Lin'. How the boy got that idea is a mystery to me. I only came to them every once in a while to monitor his health after he had taken ill two weeks ago. And now I am officially banned from entering their grounds ever again on pain of death! Can you believe it?!"

  
The girls were laughing heartily. "Only you, Merlin. Only you."

  
Morgana spoke up again. "I wouldn't worry too much about them, _Lin-Lin_." She smiled mischievously. "Just keep your distance for a while and it will blow over. That 'ban' will quickly be revoked, if one of them so much as catches a cold. Lady Ludia tends to get quite dramatic even about the little things."

  
"Yeah, no kidding. When I didn't leave quick enough, she actually drew the sword from her husbands sheath and threatened me with it."

  
Gwen chuckled at that mental image. "Have you had a single day, in which your life didn't get threatened by someone?"

  
"Not since I have arrived at Camelot, that's for sure." He sighed heartily. "My life used to be much calmer, you now?"

  
"Somehow I find that hard to believe. So... Who drew his sword on you today?" Morgana took an intrigued sip of her tea.

  
He twisted his eyes at that. "The prince prat of course!"

  
Gwen gave him a pitying look. "Again?"

  
"Yeah. If only someone could show me how armor actually works, I would have a much easier life."

  
"Well I could show you a thing or two", at Merlin's questioning gaze she continued, "I am the local blacksmith's daughter after all."

  
Merlin lit up at this. "Really? That's brilliant!"

  
Morgana interrupted his enthusiasm: "Is he really giving you such a hard time about this? Why would you even _need_ to know about armor?"

  
"Well generally speaking, it would be much easier to tend to a knight's injury, if I could quickly remove their armor myself. In his case however I got myself stuck with removing his armor after training, because I told him, it was beneficial for his health. So I managed to put myself up for that."

  
Morgana had a scheming smirk on her face as she told him: "Hmm... Well, I happen to have a spare set of armor in my trunk over there. So you could practice it now and tomorrow you can dazzle him with your newfound knowledge."

  
"Really? Awesome!" Merlin made a whooping gesture. "Wait. Why do you have some armor lying around?"

  
"Let's just say, that I refuse to be some damsel in distress."

  
So the two of them taught him the ins and outs of donning and removing armor. Needless to say, Arthur was quite wrong footed, when on the very next day Merlin casually showed off his newfound skills. No one had ever removed his armor that efficiently. Not even George.

  


* * *

  
A few weeks later Arthur was on the training field and internally cursed the unrelenting midday heat of this sweltering summer day. He was currently fighting a knight hopeful who seemed to be very promising. With a bit of polish he might actually pass the knights test. He was quite engrossed with the spar, but he still noticed when Merlin stood up at the side of the field.

  
After the debacle of the first day, he had thankfully never interrupted him midfight again. Instead he had just stood up and waited for the end of the fight before quietly announcing the end of his training session. So whenever he saw him watching while standing upright, Arthur finished up quickly lest the idiot tried to get himself killed again. And while he would never admit to it... The boy actually had a pretty good eye for when he started to push himself. While it was at times frustrating, his observations were usually spot on. So why was he intervening now? He still felt fresh. At least as fresh as possible in this damn heat. 

  
Merlin started to move in his direction. What was the idiot doing? This might not be an actual knight, but did he _want_ to get his head chopped off? Arthur decided to interrupt his own fight lest the boy could be made responsible for it again. So he raised his left hand to signal for his opponent to slow down a second and addressed the approaching boy.

  
"I don't feel exhausted", the prince called out indignantly. He twirled his sword to prove it and landed another heavy hit on the squire.

  
"You don't, but he certainly does."

  
As if on cue the poor knight hopefull promptly fainted. Having expected this, Merlin deftly caught him and immediately started to dap his forehead with a wet rag. Arthur however was caught completely by surprise. He stared at the scene uncomprehending until Merlin spoke up.

  
"Could you help me move him over there? He need's some shade."

  
That broke him out of his stupor. "Yes. Of course."

  
Together they rearranged the young man beneath a great oak, that would shield him from the harsh midday sun. Merlin prodded him for a second and decided to leave him with the wet rag as well as a full water skin. Then he handed another to Arthur, who took it gladly and drank a few heavy gulps before handing it back.

  
"I wouldn't have expected the man to be so frail.", Arthur mused more to himself.

  
"I wouldn't say succumbing to dehydration and being 'frail' is necessarily the same thing."

  
"If he were to faint in a real battle only a few minutes into the fight, he would be dead as soon as the first bandit attacked."

  
"Maybe. But usually he would have had at least _some_ water within the day."

  
Arthur was confused. "Why wouldn't he have had some? The barrels with refreshments are right there for all to use."

  
"Well... His performance was really good today. So much so that an actual knight asked him for a spar. He eagerly obliged and fought him. That caught the attention of another knight. And then another and another until finally he got your attention. Apparently he didn't have the heart to ask for a break, when the mighty knights of Camelot themselves honored him with a duel. I haven't watched him the hole time, but I haven't seen him drink anything the entire day, wich is pretty darn stupid considering it's the middle of summer."

  
"Huh. I will need to have a word with him. Underestimating the midday sun can end up desasterous."

  
"The same goes for you, you know?" Merlin smirked.

  
"I'll have you know, that I have been trained since birth. I know the risks and how to avoid them", he stated indignantly.

  
"Oh really? Because I haven't seen you drink much more than he did. Your wounds may be mostly healed, but I doubt getting a heat stroke on the final day before the tournament would prove to be very advantageous. You should rest before the big day."

  
The prince huffed. When he turned around and went back to the field, Merlin thought he did it just to spite him. He was proven wrong, when Arthur announced:

  
"Good work everyone. You have all improved well over the past weeks. I want you to use the rest of the day to recuperate and gather your strength. Tomorrow we will show the world what Camelot's finest are made of!"

  
The knights cheered at that. After a mighty roar 'For Camelot!' they all headed their ways. Arthur came back to a grinning Merlin.

  
"And what are you grinning about?", he asked challenging as he held his arms out.

  
"Oh, nothing." Merlin smiled to himself as he started to remove the prince's armor.

  


* * *

_  
She was slivering quietly along the stone. An almost silent hiss signaled to her that her sister was still following just behind. They were here. They were ready. Now, they wait._

_  
Chains. Chains with strange markings. They were swinging. Round and round._

_  
They felt the command before they heard it. Now! Falling. Deep, deep, deep. And now... They would feast!_

  
Morgana screamed as she awoke. The image of fangs sinking deep into flesh was burned into her mind. Taking deep breaths she tried to calm herself down. It was just a dream. Just a dream. She should just forget about it. Just a dream.

  


* * *

  
"Knights of the realm, it's a great honour to welcome you to this tournament at Camelot." Uther was poshly intoning his greetings for the grand day.

  
Meanwhile Merlin was giddily jumping in anticipation. There was just so much going on. The ranks were full of cheering spectators and the exited mood was getting to him. He stood on his toes to get a slightly better view of the various foreign knights.

  
"Don't get too distracted, Merlin. You're here for work. And I have yet to attend a single tournament in wich my services weren't needed."

  
Gaius' words didn't hamper his enthusiasm in the slightest. "Sure, but work doesn't mean, I can't enjoy it, does it? What would you say are the chances that Arthur gets a nice beating for once?", he asked with a grin.

  
"Pretty low I'd wager, considering he is the reigning champion."

  
"Too bad. Well, never say never."

  
Gaius shook his head at the antics. "You are aware that we will have to deal with the aftermath of his potential beating? Also: Make sure to watch both combatants carefully. Both sides will come to seek treatment from us afterwards."

  
"Alright. Will do."

  
They finished their conversation just in time, because Uther was also finishing up: "The tournament begins!"

  


* * *

  
Merlin was watching attentively as Gaius stitched up a cut on the arm of a foreign knight that had just lost to Arthur. Upon nearing the end of the wound, he took the designated knife and, with a nod from his master, cut the excess string. He handed Gaius the water to clean off the remaining blood and was already reaching for the bandages, when Gaius addressed him:

  
"Thank you, Merlin. I have this well in hand. Could you take a look at the prince?"

  
"Do I _have_ to? Look at him! He's fine."

  
Gaius gave him the eyebrow. He held his hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright. I'll go."

  
When he obediently trotted away, he couldn't help but smile as he heard the foreign knight laugh behind him. He arrived at Arthur's side simultaneously with another knight, that had just finished his fight. The man ignored him as he addressed the prince.

  
"May I offer my congratulations on your victories today?"

  
"Likewise."

  
"I hope to see you at the reception this evening."

  
Dismissing himself he left with his servant in tow. Merlin knew it wasn't his place to say anything, but seriously: 

  
"Creep."

  
Arthur huffed in amusement as well as agreement. Was that a smile? Had he actually managed to make the prat smile? Merlin didn't get to celebrate his small victory because the moment the prince saw his victorious grin, he got serious again.

  
"Don't you have people to patch up? I didn't get injured, so off with you."

  
"Not before I've seen your arm. You know, the one where that guy in blue got you."

  
"He didn't get me. He barely touched me. See? The sword didn't even damage the chainmail."

  
"If I don't examine it, Gaius will."

  
Arthur wanted to argue, but was confronted with a very reminiscent raise of an eyebrow.

  
"... Very well then."

  


* * *

  
The very next day they were back at the side of the arena. The creepy guy was fighting Sir Ewan, when suddenly...

  
"What the-? Did you see that?"

  
"See what?" The prince had just readjusted the straps on his vambrace. Somehow his servant never managed to string them tight enough.

  
"The snake, that was coming from his shield?" Merlin gestured up and down to the arena, where Sir Ewan had just gone down.

  
"What are you talking about?"

  
"I swear, one of the snakes on his shield came to life and bit him in the neck!"

  
Merlin didn't wait for Arthur's incredulous reaction as he ran up to Gaius, who was entering the arena to tend to the wounded knight.

  
"Most odd...", Gaius mused as Merlin knelt down beside him.

  
"What is?"

  
"He's turning stiff despite still being very much alive. This shouldn't happen. He just got knocked out."

  
"No. He was also bitten by a possibly magical snake. See?"

  
As Merlin turned the knight's head to reveal two small puncture wounds, the physician caught his breath.

  
"How did that happen? Did you see-"

  
"What is taking so long?" They were interrupted by an impatient Arthur. "If he has been seriously injured, take him to the tent. The tournament will continue."

  
"But Arthur! I was right. Look!" He pointed to the obvious snake bite. "And now Sir Ewan is showing signs of being poisoned!"

  
Arthur scowled as he saw the marks. He quickly inspected the knight from head to toe before turning to Merlin. He looked him deep into the eyes. "You are accusing a knight, a _noble,_ of using magic. This is a serious accusation. Are you sure about this?"

  
Merlin held his gaze and stated without any hesitation: "I know, what I saw. I swear, it's true. I wouldn't lie to you."

  
Whatever Arthur had searched for in his eyes, he must have found it since he gave a tiny nod before looking around. Coming to a conclusion, he announced to the two of them: "No one else saw. Otherwise there would be a panic by now. This isn't enough. We need proof."

  
Merlin was about to get riled up for not being believed until he registered the 'we' in that sentence. "So you believe me?"

  
"I do, but there is nothing we can do right now. Carry him to the tent as per usual. Meet me in my chambers once today's fights have been concluded."

  
While Arthur marched off, the two followed his command and cleared the field. Once they entered the medical tent Gaius whispered to his apprentice: "I hope you know, what you're doing. Even if I attest to the poison, the king will not take the word of a commoner over that of nobility. I don't know why Arthur was so quick to believe you, but convincing the king will be a lot more difficult."

  
Merlin thought this over. "What about Sir Ewan? If he would tell the king how he got that bite, he would have to believe him, wouldn't he?"

  
"Maybe. But In order to wake him I would have to administer an antidote made from the snake's venom. And while I may have quite the collection of common snake poisons, I certainly don't have _that_ in my cupboard." He gestured to the poor knight, that was sweating from a high fever and should be thrashing around in delirium by now, but was stiff like a board instead. "Whatever we do, we need to do it quickly. I'm not sure how long he will hold out."

  


* * *

  
Despite the grim occasion Merlin was a little exited as he stood in front of Arthur's door. While he had been here multiple times before, when he escorted him to the training fields... This would be the first time for him to actually enter the prince's chambers. He gave the door an enthusiastic knock and upon hearing Arthur's call entered the room.

  
The first thing Merlin noticed was the space. The room was big. Much bigger than his mother's whole house. The second thing was the red. So much red. Red sheets, red carpets, red pillows, red curtains and even a red reading chair. All of which were exquisitely made and stitched with a lot of finery. You could probably take a single thing from this room and exchange it for everything Merlin had ever owned in his life and then some. Only then did he notice the chaos. Merlin got the distinct feeling the room had been impeccably tidy a few minutes ago, but now parts of armor and articles of clothing were strewn across the whole floor. One glove had landed on a chair, the other on a cupboard. One boot near the door, the other halfway beneath the bed. The things had seemingly been discarded wherever they had been taken off. Now, Merlin also wasn't the tidiest person either, but considering the sight, which had probably developed in mere seconds, Merlin was quite sure that Arthur had never cleaned a room in his life.

  
His thoughts were interrupted by the prince himself. He had seen Merlin gawking around and only now seemed to notice his path of destruction. "I have dismissed my servant for today in order for us to speak uninterrupted and without chance of being overheard. So what news do you bring."

  
"Well, Sir Ewan was definitely poisoned. There is no doubt about that anymore. Also: That couldn't have been an ordinary snake. Gaius has never seen a snake poison this potent and with this combination of symptoms. That makes it hard to judge, but he gives the knight two days. Three if he's lucky."

  
"Is there no way to cure Sir Ewan? It would be much easier, if he were the one to accuse Valiant of magic."

  
"I thought so too, but Gaius needs the venom from the original snake to produce an antidote."

  
"Which will be difficult since he probably wouldn't let a magical artifact out of his sight, if he can help it..."

  
"Is there really no time, when he doesn't have that shield with him? He couldn't bring it everywhere, could he? Wouldn't that be 'improper' once he leaves the general area of the arena? Like, if he enters the castle?"

  
"Actually... yes. Yes it would. Even more! The king will hold a private meal this evening with all remaining contestants. Attending this armed would be just short of a skandal!"

  
"Perfect! So to not attract unwanted attention, he will probably leave it unprotected in the armory. I could easily sneak in and take a look."

  
"And how would you explain being there if someone found you? No. I will go."

  
"And how would you explain skulking around in the armory, when you are supposed to dine with the king?" Merlin raised his eyebrow challenging.

  
Arthur didn't find a suitable answer in time. So he instead asked: "And how would you even get the venom? The snakes are inside the shield. It probably needs magic to call them forth. They wouldn't just conveniently spring out of there and willingly offer their poison."

  
There was a bit of silence as Merlin pondered this for a moment. "Maybe I could bring some mice and try to feed them."

  
Arthur stared at him. "You... _What?"_

  
"Well, they need to eat _something_ , don't they?"

  
"No? They are magic. They don't need to eat. They aren't real animals!"

  
"They looked plenty real, when they bit Ewan. Those puncture wounds are also definitely real. So what's the harm in trying? Worst that could happen is, I look like an idiot dangling some poor mice in front of an unresponsive shield."

  
No. The worst that could happen was it actually working and the snakes deciding that the little appetizer wasn't enough. But the idea was so outlandish, Arthur couldn't believe it could possibly work.

  
"Yes. Worst case you look like usual", he ignored Merlin's indignant _'Hey!'_ and continued, "So the thing will probably not activate without the sorcerer being around, but maybe you can find some magical markings edged into the shield. Those might give us some clues and would also help to convince my father."

  
"Alright. So this evening I will invade the armory, try to identify the snakes and failing that, I will inspect the shield for evidence of sorcery. Easy."

  
"Treat this seriously, would you. I won't bail you out, if someone catches you 'stealing' from the knights. Also, we are dealing with a sorcerer. This is dangerous. Who knows what kind of foul enchantments he might have laid out. There might be traps."

  
"Yeah yeah. I can take care of myself. You just have a nice meal. I'll come back later with the news." 

  
The boy dismissively waved him off. When he stumbled on his way out, Arthur gave a quick prayer that he wouldn't find a poisoned corpse in the armory next morning.

  


* * *

  
Much later that night:

  
"So then I turn around, because there was this shadow I saw and low and behold! I was face to face with a freaking giant snake. So I did the sensible thing and cut it's head off. Then-"

  
"You want me to believe that _you_ managed to cut the head of a magical snake. With a sword." Arthur was more than skeptical. Merlin didn't bother. He casually threw the snake's head over his shoulder and right into Arthur's lap, who despite Merlin's later insistence did _not_ shriek like a girl as he brushed it away from himself. He _definitely_ didn't. 

  
Merlin just continued his story: "Then I brought the thing to Gaius and long story short: Ewan is awake now and supports my observation. He will be able to state as such in front of the king."

  
Meanwhile Arthur had recovered from his scare with the head and added thoughtfully: "We should keep that a secret for now."

  
"Why? Tomorrow he will fight in the half finals. Do you want him to poison more people?" Outrageous! Why would Arthur let more people get hurt?

  
"No _Merlin_ , I will summon the court before the tournament proceeds. We will keep it a secret until then. Our whole argument hinges on Sir Ewan's testimony. If Valiant finds out, he will surely target him in his weakened state."

  
"Ok. Makes sense. Will I need to prepare something?"

  
"Just make sure Sir Ewan get's to the trial safely. I will speak with him beforehand, so he will be the one to voice the accusation." Arthur handed the snake head back to him. "And bring the head. We will need it as proof."

  


* * *

  
The next morning began with the full court being summoned to the throne room. While still being a little unsteady on his legs, Sir Ewan was able to bring his accusation forth.

  
The king was instantly wary once the subject of sorcery was raised, but to think one of his nobles would steep so low was outrageous. "Your word stands against that of Sir Valiant. Do you have proof of your accusation, Sir Ewan?"

  
"He might not, but I have." Arthur stepped up beside Ewan. "First of all, there is a witness. The physician's apprentice", he gestured to Merlin, who nodded in confirmation, "noticed the magical attack and informed me immediately."

  
Uther was promptly outraged. "Why was I not informed of this?!" 

  
Arthur stood his ground and answered confidently: "He was accusing a trusted member of nobility. I thought it prudent to investigate before causing a scene about something that might have turned out to be a simple trick of the light."

  
Uther was somewhat placated by this. He nodded. "Very well. So, did your search bring conclusive results?"

  
"It did indeed." The prince gestured for Merlin to come forward.

  
The boy did so and bowed his head while holding out the snake head to the king. Merlin explained: "During our investigation we encountered one of the snakes. It emerged directly from Sir Valiant's shield and posed to attack. Fortunately it was easily dealt with."

  
Arthur restrained himself from raising his eyebrow at the great omission the boy had just glossed over. He hadn't lied per se, but the way he said it, he heavily implied Arthur to be the one, who killed the beast. He didn't need the credit, but was thankful for it. This way the story would be much easier to believe.

  
"Using this, Gaius was able to produce a cure for Sir Ewan, who upon awakening supported our suspicions."

  
The king leaned back in his throne. He calmly addressed the accused: "What do you have to say to this, Sir Valiant?"

  
"This is ridiculous! My name is being slandered by these people. The prince is probably scared to fight me, so he ordered Sir Ewan to spout this nonsense and bribed the boy to support the story."

  
There were multiple raised eyebrows at that defense. Arthur decided to counter: "You assume that the both of us would have actually advance to the finals. Which I still plan on doing by the way. So if you would be willing, we could proceed to the arena right now. We would of course both be using the same type of shield from our armory."

  
Valiant didn't get the chance to either accept or deny the challenge, because the king announced: "I will _not_ have a known _sorcerer_ fight in my arena."

  
Valiant was shocked by this development. "But your highness! I-"

  
"I have heard enough of your excuses, Valiant! You have been found guilty of the foul use of enchantments and practice of sorcery. Guards! Escort the sorcerer to the dungeons. He will burn at dawn!"

  


* * *

  
Another sorcerer, another burning. Morgana felt sick. While this poor excuse of a knight, might actually deserve to be punished for a change, she still believed the pyre to be way too cruel a fate for anyone. She watched as the man got put into chains. First one hand, then the- He struggled. For just a moment the chain was swinging uselessly around his one hand. Suddenly she remembered. The Chains. The Snakes. Swinging. Falling. Danger. Merlin!

  
The exact second Valiant screamed "Now!", she jumped from her seat and shouted: "Above!!!"

  
Arthur was instantly alarmed by her panicked call and looked up to the ceiling while simultaneously drawing his sword. But the two snakes had already dropped down behind him and attacked while he looked up. Merlin however had noticed in time and jumped into the snake's path. Arthur was there immediately and sliced them in two, but both of them had managed to sink their fangs deep into Merlin.

  
The bites didn't hurt. He didn't feel any pain. In fact, he didn't feel anything at all as he stiffly fell over and into unconsciousness. The only thing he _could_ feel were two strong arms that must have caught him on the way down.

  


* * *

  
Everything hurt. Merlin groaned in pain and decided that waking up was a very stupid idea right now. So he tried to turn into a slightly more comfortable position for falling asleep again. His plan was thwarted however as he heard a much too loud noise:

  
"Merlin? Gaius! He's awake!"

  
Why was the prat so _loud?_ Did he have no mercy? 

  
"Not so loud, sire. He probably has a headache."

  
"You bet I have." Merlin surrendered his sweet, sweet sleep and tried to sit up. He was instantly pushed down again.

  
"Not so fast young man. The paralyzing effects may have lessened, but the poison is still in your system. Don't stir it unnecessarily."

  
Merlin obliged and took the offered potion without question. Gaius carefully checked him over and, after another firm instruction to stay put, left the room.

  
Merlin took in the blessed silence and waited for the pain numbing potion to take effect. When Arthur spoke up he did it so quietly, Merlin almost hadn't heard him.

  
"Why did you do that?"

  
"Do what?"

  
"The snakes. They were after me. You intercepted their attack. Why?"

  
Merlin scowled. "Why wouldn't I? You're the prince, aren't you? Don't people take hits for you all the time?"

  
Arthur answered through clenched teeth. _"Yes._ But usually they are trained knights, not physicians. They are sworn to protect the crown on-"

  
"And I am sworn to keep _everyone_ from dying. What's the difference?"

  
Arthur gaped at him. "That doesn't mean, you are supposed to jump in front of deadly magical beasts to shield me!"

  
"Oh really? I'll be the judge of that. Also, this way I might actually be able to get a full night's sleep for a change. Why does your stupid training start that early in the morning anyway?" He took a breath, but didn't miss a beat. "Oh, and your welcome by the way. Now if you'll excuse me. I feel like shit. So I would much prefer to go back to sleep right about now and you are only making my headache worse."

  
He underlined his point by pulling his pillow over his head. After a long moment of blessed silence he would have actually almost fallen asleep, but... _"-nk you."_ He heard some muffled words, so he lifted the pillow again.

  
"What was that?" When he didn't get an immediate answer, Merlin turned back to look at Arthur, who had an unreadable expression on his face.

  
After another beat of silence the prince crossed his arms in front of his chest and stated in his prat-voice: "I said, 'See you' on the training field tomorrow morning. Just because I won the tournament, doesn't mean either of us is getting the day off. This is no excuse to skip your duties, you lazy sot." This would have been incredibly unfair treatment, had it not been delivered while grinning in a clearly joking way.

  
Merlin groaned theatrically. "Why, oh why doest thou torture me such?"


	5. Does it have to be a poultice?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thematically the first section of this should belong at the end of chapter 4... But since I only thought of it after I had already posted it, you're getting it now anyway.
> 
> I should really write a little ahead before posting stuff, shouldn't I? Well anyway! I hope you will enjoy this little retelling of episode 3.

Merlin groaned. "Uuuaaaarrr. Remind me to never jump into magical snakes again. This headache is _horrible!"_

  
Sir Ewan was lying on a cot next to Merlin in the physician chambers. "I'll certainly do that. Otherwise you might just put us knights out of job."

  
They both grinned. The knight had only barely managed to attend the court and was promptly escorted back on Gaius' order after the trial was deemed over. Ever since, the two of them had been in each other's company. They were suffering from the same symptoms after all, so it was easier to treat them together.

  
The knight didn't seem to mind this at all. Ever since the little stunt Merlin had pulled at the hearing, the man had developed respect for the boy. Merlin of course didn't mind either because it meant there was someone, who knew exactly what he was going through. Pain shared is pain halved as they say and complaining about your woes had a strangely bonding effect on the two. After a while Merlin had concluded that Ewan was a decent guy despite being a knight. He didn't have to hold his tongue around him as much as he did with the others. So he wasn't concerned at all, when he announced:

  
"Pah! Who would want to be a knight anyway. If it means wounds and headaches all the time, I'd much prefer to be on the other side of the potions. The one that doesn't have to actually drink them."

  
"Duly noted."

  
Merlin tried to prop himself up somewhat, but promptly fell back because he was overcome by a heavy dizziness. Ewan did so too, only much more successful. He grinned at the slightly younger man challengingly.

  
"How come you are taking this so much better than me?", he asked aspirated.

  
"First of all, this isn't the first time I got injured. Also, I only have to deal with half the amount of poison."

  
Merlin groaned again. "If Gaius doesn't come back with the chamomile soon, I might get up and start mixing some stuff myself. By now I wouldn't mind taking the alternative recipe that causes a rash, if it just get's rid of this pounding in my head!"

  
Right after he had said that he noticed footsteps coming up to the room. Finally! He didn't wait for Gaius to completely enter the room before exclaiming:

  
"Gaius! Thank the heavens. Did you find some chamomile? Because Ewan and I are in serious need of a potion against this god forsaken heada-" He caught his tongue. Because the person standing in the door wasn't Gaius at all.

  
"Your highness!"

  
Standing there in all his royal glory was none other than the king of Camelot himself. Sir Ewan quickly sat up to give the customary bow. Merlin tried to do the same, but immediately regretted it as he got dizzy and almost fell out of bed.

  
"Easy there. We do not have need for formalities right now."

  
Pah. No formalities my ass. If I don't watch my tongue, I will find myself in the stocks or dungeons before supper. He didn't say that of course. Instead: "Thank you, your highness. How can I help you? If you have need of Gaius, he is out right now, but should arrive shortly."

  
"Yes. I gathered that much. But no. I don't need Gaius' services. In fact I came here for you."

  
"Me?", he asked a little warily. He tried not to jump to conclusions. There was no way, anyone could have seen him using magic as of late and if someone had, the king would send his knights, not confront him alone. So why-

  
"I wanted to thank you in person for your actions. You are a loyal citizen in service of Camelot. I am most grateful."

  
"I was just doing my duty."

  
"I would say you surpassed your duty that day. Not only have you saved my son... again", he noted with a hint of resignation, "You also had to pay the price this time. As such it is only fair to compensate you for your deed."

  
"That really isn't necessarily, my lord." Merlin blushed slightly.

  
"Not this again, boy. A debt must be repaid. So speak. Is there something you have need of?"

  
Merlin drew blank. "I... I don't know. I have all I need to come by. I have a room to live in, food to survive on and work to keep me busy. What else would I wish for?"

  
"If you have only one room to call your own. How about I offer you your own house to live in?"

  
"What? But I like living here."

  
The king sighed. "So you don't even have need for your own land." He sounded annoyed. Not good. Annoying nobles was one thing, but the king? Shit. He needed to come up with something.

  
"Well err... If it's land you are offering, could I maybe get a little garden or something? I grew up as a farmer and growing some crops would feel homely." Homely? What was he even talking about? Well, at least the king seemed pleased.

  
"Good. I will arrange for a plot of land to be given to you."

  
Merlin hastily added: "Nothing too big, please! I don't have the time to plow a hole field."

  
"Very well then. You shall get some garden space close to the physician's chambers."

  
"Thank you, your highness." Relieved that he hadn't just accidentally robbed a poor farmer of his land he bowed to the king. This time he didn't fall out.

  
Giving a regal nod Uther purposefully strode out of the chambers.

  
Looking after him at the door Sir Ewan gave a low whistle. "Pfew. Now that's something you don't see everyday."

  
"Oh, really?!", Merlin squieked with a comically high voice, wich he regretted immediately as it increased his headache. The door opened again. He hastily straitened up.

  
"Was that Uther I saw just leaving?" Gaius. It was just Gaius.

  
"Ehm yeah. So, how would you feel about growing some herbs for our personal use?"

  
The physician seemed confused by the sudden question. "Well... That could be useful, but where would we plant them? We don't have the space for it."

  
"Well, about that..."

  
Gaius was confused further as Sir Ewan burst into laughter.

* * *

  
A week later both Merlin and Sir Ewan had fully recovered from the poison. But Merlin didn't really get time to celebrate that fact since a dead body had been found in the lower town. So of course the physician and his apprentice arrived at the scene to examine the cause. Merlin got a strange feeling once they approached the man lying face down in the middle of the street. Something was stirring in his stomach and it got stronger the closer he got to the corpse. No one had dared to touch it apparently. Gaius however had no such reservations as he kneeled down beside it.

  
"Aren't you scared?"

  
"Of what?"

  
"That you might catch whatever it is. I mean... There's a lot of contagious illnesses out there."

  
"We are physician's, Merlin. This is part of our job. Most of the time there's nothing really to be scared of."

  
Gaius unceremoniously flopped the body onto his back. They gasped. The skin had turned to a ghastly white that even stretched into the icy eyes of the deceased. Blue veins scrawled over the face like a poison infested spiderweb.

  
"You were saying?"

  
"People mustn't see this. They will panic."

  
Merlin quickly grabbed a blanket that had covered some vendor's goods nearby and loaded the gruesome corpse onto a random cart. He mentally apologized to whomever these things belonged and promised to bring them back as quickly as possible... He should probably wash the blanket. Just in case. (That evening two vendors were quite confused to find their old equipment impeccably clean for reasons neither of them would ever find out.)

  
So far the two had been quite inconspicuous as they wheeled the concealed corpse through the busy streets of Camelot. Merlin was very thankful that no one questioned them on their cargo. Until they crossed paths with Guinevere that is.

  
"What are you doing?"

  
Ah damn. At least it was Gwen. He could handle this. Probably.  
"Er... just moving something."

  
"Looks heavy."

  
"Er... it's nothing really. Erm... did someone get you flowers?"

  
"Oh! No." She giggled. That was rather cute actually. "Would you like one? A purple one. Purple suits you." She handed him one of her flowers. "Not that I'm saying red doesn't suit you."

  
"Thanks. Well, er..." What did one do, if they were gifted a flower? No one had ever gotten him any flowers. Put it in the hair? He'd seen a girl do this before. But his was too short for that. So... He sticked it inside his neckerchief instead. Judging by Gwen's smile it was the right thing to do.

  
"Now now. Don't you look dashing?"

  
"How couldn't I, if you were the one to recommended my accessories?" They both chuckled. "Too bad I can't show it off to Morgana. I'll be very busy, so I doubt I will find the time to attend today's meeting."

  
"Oh. That's too bad. Do you need help with something?"

  
"No! No. Ehm. We have everything well in hand."

  
Gwen seemed a little suspicious about his dodgy behavior, but accepted it anyway.

  
"Ok then. I won't delay you any further. See you once you dealt with your thing."

  
"Yeah. See you."

* * *

  
Turns out that evening wasn't the only meeting Merlin would miss. The illness was quickly spreading throughout the town and the unique and deadly course of the disease had prompted Uther to comb through the city in search of a villainous sorcerer. Things would only get worse, if they didn't find a solution soon.

  
Gaius was currently examining the contents of a victim's stomach, when Merlin came rushing from his room.

  
"I found it!", he exclaimed as he almost fell down the few steps separating them.

  
"Found what?", Gaius asked while dropping some reactive into his sample.

  
"The cure of course!" Merlin excitedly threw his magic book onto the table. "It's right here. Using this poultice we can counter the effects of the disease even if we aren't sure what caused it."

  
"Merlin, no. Magic is not the answer."

  
"What other answer could there be? We both know that this", he gestured to the creepy corpse on the table, "was not caused by mundane means. Magic must be countered by magic."

  
"Merlin. Have you seen what's going on out there? Everyone is suspicious of everyone. Arthur and his men are combing through the city on a witchhunt. This is not the time to be using magic. Science will lead us to the source of the disease."

  
"You always say that science is a slow process which cannot be rushed. How long until we find the source. How many people will have to die until we find something to stop it?"

  
"I know this isn't easy. But you can not always take the easy way to-"

  
"We are talking about lifes here! Innocent lifes of men, woman and children. I thought it was our duty to protect them! To heal and nurture without bias or judgement."

  
Gaius stared at him. That had hit him hard. Especially since a long long time ago he had said almost exactly the same to his old master, when they had been forced to let someone die because of a petty intrigue between some nobles. He looked at the passionate young man before him and saw himself from what felt like a different lifetime ago. Maybe it was. But still. This was madness. How could he make him see sense?

  
"You can't just go around, sneaking into people's homes and heal them. If you get caught, they will execute you as the sorcerer, who is responsible for all this." Merlin wanted to object that he wouldn't let himself be caught, but didn't get the chance. "And almost worst: What do you think would happen, if you didn't get caught? If you succeeded in healing the patient and got away unnoticed?"

  
Now Merlin was confused. "Well, they would feel well again an continue their life as usual, I assume."

  
"No. You are not thinking this through. If a victim was miraculously healed over night, while every other inflicted died, either the patient or most likely his loved ones will be accused to be _the_ or at least _a_ sorcerer."

  
Now it was Merlin's turn to stare at him. With his wide eyes and pained gaze he looked as if something had just broken a little inside him. The boy had probably already planed his nightly endeavors and was terrified of what he would have done to his patient. He looked down deep in thought. Right as he was about to answer... there was a knock on the door. They didn't need to answer since Arthur and his guards just burst in uninvited.

  
Arthur instructed his men before addressing the physician: "Sorry Gaius, we're searching every room in town."

  
"What for?"

  
"The sorcerer."

  
Merlin gulped. The magic book was still right there on the table - opened to a page that clearly described how to craft a magical poultice... Oh shit.

  
"But why would he be here?"

  
The only thing shielding the book from Arthur's view were their very own bodies as they stood in front of it. 

  
"I'm just doing my job."

  
While the prince was distracted by his conversation with Gaius, Merlin subtly fingered behind himself for the pretty darn incriminating object. Come on... come ooooon...

  
"We've nothing to hide. Go on, then. Search." Gaius gestured to the whole room with a flourish.

  
There! He got hold of it and flipped it close so that only the untitled cover was visible.

  
"What's all these books and papers?"

  
Merlin screamed internationally, but didn't dare to make the tiniest of sounds on the outside.

  
"My life's work, dedicated to the understanding of science. You are quite welcome to read through them if you wish."

  
Merlin really admired the nerve of his mentor. Here he was, being fully occupied with concealing his panic and Gaius just blatantly invited the prince of Camelot to read through his magic book. And he managed to do it in away that ensured that the man would never ever think to touch it because of sheer disinterest. He felt a deep admiration as Arthur quickly switched his focus elsewhere.

  
"What's this room up here?"

  
Bolstered by the small victory he actually found his voice. Thankfully it wasn't even wavering. "It's mine."

  
Arthur grinned mischievously as he entered his room. Merlin didn't notice this however since he was sharing a relieved look with his master. That silent interaction was cut short however as the prince called out: "Merlin, come here. Look what I found."

  
Confused as to what could possibly be of interest in there, he followed him inside.

  
"I found a place where you can put things. It's called a cupboard", was the snarky remark he got as an answer.

  
"Ha ha. You're one to talk. I've seen your room. The last pigsty is tidier than that."

  
Arthur grabbed one of his neckerchiefs. Through gritted teeth and with a playfully forced smile the prince asked: "Would you fancy some vegetables to go with this fine scarf?"

  
"While I do enjoy the good company the stocks provide, I am a bit busy right now." 

  
Merlin pointed through the door to Gaius, who was stoically ignoring the chaos havocing guards around him and inspected his earlier samples. That effectively wiped all mirth from the prince's face. They left the room.

  
"How long do you think it may be before you find a cure?"

  
"It depends on how many interruptions we get."

  
"Of course, I'm sorry." He commanded his guards: "We're finished here."

  
They quickly left. Gaius closed the door behind the last man before releasing a deep sigh of relief. "We have to hide that book."

  
"No. We must use it."

  
"Don't be stupid. Do you even realize how closely we escaped the pyre just now?"

  
"That doesn't change my point."

  
"Gnarrk!" Gaius made an unidentifiable sound of frustration and sat down tiredly. All fight seemed to leave him as he covered his face with his hands. 

  
Merlin had expected another round of arguing. Not... this. The silence reigned heavily inside the room. The boy wasn't sure what to do now. The physician always seemed so steadfast. So in control. But now... For the first time Merlin wondered how old his mentor actually was. Tentatively he approached him and quietly sat down beside him. After a bit of consideration he started with: "I'm sorry."

  
"Don't be." The old man still wasn't moving. Neither did he elaborate.

  
"Err... Ok." After a beat or two: "Ehm. Why not?"

  
"Because you're right." 

  
Finally Gaius uncovered his face. He seemed drawn and conflicted. But overall he just looked tired. "Because lifes _do_ matter and should be protected above all else. Because that's what I have sworn to do all those years ago and because it's the right thing to do now."

  
"Then why-"

  
"Twenty years ago I have sworn to never practice magic again and I haven't done it since. For twenty years I have lived under Uther's rule and I fear it has changed me more than I had realized. I am afraid, Merlin. Of the pyre, yes. But even more I am afraid to see you in the flames. Just like them all those years ago."

  
Merlin felt like he had been punched in the stomach. He tried to imagine what it must have been like back then at the pike of the purge... but couldn't. He wondered who Gaius had lost and if he ever regretted staying in Camelot. Uther must have taken so much from him, yet still he remained loyal. At least if you didn't count harboring other sorcerers in secret. That was probably treason, now that he thought about it. No wonder he was so torn. Anyway, Merlin didn't like that look on his mentor's face. Not at all. How could he lighten up the mood? There had to be something.

  
"Well... I don't think I will manage to end up on the pyre. Knowing me, I will probably offend someone and get my head chopped off long before that." That... had sounded a lot better in his head.

  
Against expectations, Gaius huffed, shook his head and... laughed. He laughed. One of those strange, desperate laughs that came out when you didn't know what to do with your emotions. Through tears that no one could tell, if they came from boisterous laughter or desperate crying, he said: "So that was your goal all along. I should have known."

  
"Jep. A swift end with a dramatic exit, that manages to piss someone off as a bonus. Sounds perfect, doesn't it?"

  
"I would still prefer your head on your shoulders. Hunith would murder me in my sleep, if something were to happen to you."

  
"She sure would. So how about I stay alive for a little while longer?"

  
"Fine with me."

  
"Even if I would suggest opening a temporary field hospital to treat the victims of this plague?"

  
Gaius stared at him because of the sudden change in topic. Getting no instant reaction, Merlin elaborated: "I mean... It may be suspicious, if people just randomly got better all of a sudden. But if all were treated together, by the court physician no less, it wouldn't be strange if they started to recover, would it?"

  
"And you think, you can run around a big room filled with people and put poultices under pillows while mumbling incantations without anyone realizing what you are doing?"

  
"It was an idea. Not a plan, ok?"

  
"Hmm..." Gaius gave it some thought. "It actually isn't the worst idea. We could certainly justify separating the ill from the healthy before the king to slow down the spreading of the disease. It would also give me easy access to a variety of test subjects for finding a cure and it wouldn't be surprising if I would succeed eventually."

  
"Exactly! You could make a show of administering different samples of medicine and I could start healing them."

  
"But once I found a cure, we would loose our justification. Once finished, the potion should be easy to replicate and would usually be handed out by me and administered by the direct family."

  
Merlin pondered this for a moment. "And what if it wasn't finished?" Gaius didn't seem to understand what he was getting at. Grinning a mischievous smile he explained: "What if it did cure the deadly disease, but came with a variety of... unpleasant side effects instead?"

  
Gaius' eyes widened at that. "That would certainly do the trick." He was deep in thought as he considered all the possible symptoms he could cause without doing serious damage to his patients health. He forced himself to get back on track. "But that still doesn't solve our biggest problem: How would we actually heal them. You can only place so many poultices in secret. Someone is bound to see or hear you sooner or later."

  
"I was thinking... Does it actually have to be a poultice?"

  
"What do you mean?"

  
"I mean... How does this spell actually work?" He grabbed the magic book and opened it to the right page again. "This describes what to do, but not why it works the way it does. You just put some specially prepared herbs together, mumble the right words and tada! The patient get's healed. What does the spell actually do?"

  
Gaius quickly scanned the contents of the spell. "These types of spells invoke the inherent aspects of the plants they are used on. It basically draws out the cleansing effects of the herbs and guides them to dispel any magically born ills of the patient."

  
"So... The form of the poultice doesn't matter at all, does it? It's just for convenience. Theoretically we could loosely place those herbs all around the infirmary and cast the spell once a night over the whole room."

  
Gaius wracked his brain to find anything that would oppose this theory. "That... might actually work. Merlin, that's genius!"

  
The old man promptly threw his arms around his ward. Merlin of course returned the hug immediately. They stayed like that for a while until Gaius started chuckling. As they separated the boy gave him a questioning glance, which made him laugh even harder.

  
"What?", Merlin eventually asked.

  
Between chuckles he stated: "After that grand speech I threw at Arthur a few weeks ago, I am actually going to administer 'cures' that will only make the patients more ill."

  
It took them quite a while to stop laughing and start on their preparations.

* * *

  
The king had readily agreed for them to build a closed off infirmary for the sick. He had been about to order a lock down for the lower town anyway so it didn't need much to make him agree to quarantining the infected. They were currently listing all they would need to the steward so he would organize the servants to set everything up, when Gwen stormed into the room.

  
"My father! Please, Gaius, he has the sickness! Please, he's all I have."

  
She was panicked. She nervously walked around without going anywhere. She wanted to do something, but didn't know what she could do. Once she started tearing at her hair, she finally registered Merlin's third attempt at calling out to her.

  
"Gwen! It's alright." He put his hand on her shoulder to calm and comfort her. "Your father will be alright. We're setting up a hospital to cure them. He'll be fine."

  
She finally focused her wandering gaze on Merlin, who looked her deep into the eyes. He was so sure. So steadfast in his belief that it was impossible not to believe him. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. When she opened them again she asked as steady as she could muster:

  
"What can I do to help?"

  
"Well, first you can bring your father to the hall of the smaller council and tell everyone in town to do the same. Then we will see what else needs to be done."

  
"Ok. I will do that." She immediately turned around for the door, but on second thought swung back again. "And... Merlin?"

  
He had already turned his attention back to the organization. "Huh? Er, yes?"

  
Gwen practically barreled into him and embraced him into a fierce hug.

  
"Thank you, Merlin."

  
He was confused for just a second before he returned the hug. They stood there a moment too long before Gaius pointly cleared his throat. They hastily jumped away from each other.

  
Merlin also cleared his throat. "Ehem. Well. I er... have things to do."

  
Gwen blushed slightly as she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Of course. I... will be going now."

  
After she did just that Merlin turned around only to find both Gaius and the stuard raising their eyebrows at him. He threw his hands in the air as if to say he had nothing to do with what just happened and asked with an indignant voice: "What?"

  
They only shook their heads and went back to planning.

* * *

  
A few maids were bustling between the many beds to tend to the patients. The number of infected had quickly risen above what Gaius and Merlin could handle on their own. So they had asked the servant body for volunteers to help them out. Gwen had obviously been the first to stand up and a few friends of hers had followed shortly. They made sure the patients were eating and drinking enough and helped them to get somewhat comfortable. 

  
They also assisted with the wide variety of side effects Gaius 'experiments' were causing. Some were itching furiously. Some were heavily disoriented. Some couldn't stop sneezing and some had a very frequent need of the chamber pot. The symptoms usually stoped after a day or two but it was enough to keep them all on their toes. Thankfully they always managed to cure them of the deadly disease. There were some cases that had been brought to them too late for treatment, but ever since the second day no one had died anymore. So even though there were a lot of sick people in the room, the overall mood was quite merry. Good natured cursing about one's personal side effect had become a prominent past time for everyone involved.

  
"I'll tell you, if I have to sneeze one more time, I'd prefer to get this pest back!"

  
"Come on Harrold, at least you're not itching. This is killing me. Hey, could you scratch my back? No matter how far I stretch, I can't reach the spot."

  
Merlin walked up to the two. "Scratching will only make it worse, you know? Here, this salve should help."

  
"My SAVIOR!"

  
People all around were laughing at the antics. Merlin himself was chuckling before demanding: "Damn right. Now strip or I can't free you from your mortal peril."

  
"I'd much prefer to strip for one of the pretty ladies here." The man mock-leered in Gwen's direction. Which promptly got him a slap to the head.

  
"Oi! Keep that to yourself or I'll have Harrold slobber it all over you instead."

  
"What? But the girls are much more... _gentle_ with their... _ministrations."_ He waggled his eyebrows.

  
"That's it." Merlin unceremoniously dropped the salve into the other man's lap, who tried to protest.

  
"Hey! Why do I have to-to-ho-HAT _CHU!"_ He had sneezed right into the salve.

  
Merlin looked at it a moment before shrugging. "That's probably fine."

  
"Probably? What if- Hey! Hey, where are you going?"

  
Merlin ignored him and tried not to laugh at his misery. He found Gwen doing the same.

  
"Was that really necessary?"

  
"Definitely. I can't have that old buck dishonoring you girls. You're all doing so much. I don't know what we would do without your help."

  
"It's nothing. Really. I'm just glad, that there is something we can do." 

  
She absentmindedly picked up some almost shriveled herbs from a nearby cupboard.

  
"Leave them!" She was surprised by Merlin's firm objection. Seeing her surprise, he explained: "They are emitting fumes that keep the air clean and the patients calm. They need to be arranged systematically to maximize the effect. I will replace them later."

  
"Oh. I see." She put them back where they belonged. "I'll tell the others not to mess with them."

  
He gave her a thankful nod. Then he looked around the room. It was already quite cramped with all the beds but if things were continuing like this, they would still need more. "We might have to expand the infirmary to the nearby rooms, if things keep up like this."

  
"You're probably right. There's more and more each day. While I am glad, that the cures are... well curing them, I do hope Gaius will find the source of all this soon."

  
As if on cue a young messenger boy arrived at the door. "Mr. Merlin, the physician is sending for you!"

* * *

  
"So... Why are we skulking around in the water caverns?"

  
"While you have been busy with the patients, I have eliminated the possible origins of the disease. I am positive that it spreads through the water supply and this is where the whole town receives its water from. So please take a sample."

  
Just as Merlin put the bottle in the water a hideous creature reared up out of it. He quickly jumped back.

  
"What the hell was that?!"

  
Gaius just grabbed Merlin's arm and hastily pulled him out of the cavern.

* * *

  


A few hours of frantically searching through various books of magical creatures later:

  
"Here. It was an Afanc."

  
"An...a what?"

  
"A beast born of clay, and conjured up only by the most powerful sorcerer. Now we have to find a way to defeat it."

  
But where? Merlin looked at the overflowing shelves of books. It had taken them the whole night to merely discover the name of the beast. 

  
"But that could take days!"

  
"Good thing, you have the people's health well in hand until then. Let's just hope no one examines the herbs too closely or overhears you on your nightly spell until we find something."

* * *

  
The next day Merlin was walking up and down in front of the library's shelves of magical creatures. He mumbled to himself: "No. No. Nope. Already read that. Nope. Gaius has that too. Nope."

  
He was so focused on his search that he didn't notice Geoffrey arriving next to him.

  
"Good day, Merlin. Are you searching for something specific?"

  
"Oh! Good day, Sir Geoffrey. Yes, I am searching for information on Afancs, but I can't find any. Between Gaius and me we must have read practically all of Camelot's books on magical creatures, but still. The information is scarce and the little we did find has proven very unhelpful."

  
Geoffrey touched his chin in thought. "That is probably because Afancs aren't really classified as creatures. Since they get conjured by sorcerers, they fall into the category of magical constructs."

  
Merlin stared at him as he went two shelves further, chose a book and handed it to him. He quickly skimmed through it and wooped in glee as he encountered a whole chapter about Afancs. 

  
"Thank you, sir!"

  
Geoffrey smiled at the enthusiasm of the boy. "Not a problem. Good luck with your studies."

  
He went back to his desk to continue his work, but was soon interrupted again as Merlin approached him with the book in hand. "Excuse me, sir. But this states that Afancs are weakened by their opposing elements. I don't understand what that means exactly."

  
"The four elements are water, earth, fire and air. The Afanc is a construct made from earth and water. As such his form is destabilizing in an overabundance of the other elements."

  
"So if you would attack it with fire and wind, you could destroy it?"

  
"I suppose so, yes." The librarian gave Merlin a closer look. "Are we talking about thought experiments within the realm of theoretical studies or is there a more practical reason for your question?"

  
The boy looked a little sheepish as he admitted: "I fear, I am most interested in practical application right now."

  
"If there truly is an Afanc in Camelot, we need to report this to his majesty immediately. Am I right to assume that's the reason for the current plague in the lower town?"

  
"Yes. We had our suspicions about the water supply and happened to encounter the construct in the caverns. We saw it ourselves. There is no doubt about it."

  
"Then the king needs to be informed post haste. He needs to send the knights to slay it as soon as possible."

  
Geoffrey rose from his seat to do just that, but Merlin delayed him: "Sir... The fire element could probably be invoked by torches, but... how would they get the wind to destroy it?"

  
The former knight paused a moment. "Let's just hope that the might of Camelot's knights will be enough to compensate for that."

  
Merlin had a bad feeling as he watched the old man go.

* * *

  
"Why am I even doing this? This is stupid. This is suicide. If the Afanc doesn't kill me, the knights will. If the knights don't kill me, Gaius will!"

  
Merlin sneaked through the water caverns as quietly as he could. The knights had left for their quest a few hours ago and nothing had been heard of them since. Even if the Afanc might have hidden himself and even if the cavern was a little labyrinth in itself... With their numbers they should have been finished ages ago. Something must have gone wrong.

  
He could hear the commotion from quite far away and it didn't give him much confidence that they had the situation under control. Finally he saw some torchlight in the distance. As carefully as he could manage he leaned around a corner to assess the situation without being spotted.

  
He found himself on the edge of a fierce battle. Arthur and his men had cornered the thing, but the Afanc was wildly thrashing around and seemed to take out one knight after another by a number of inevitable lucky hits. The downed knights were quickly pulled behind the frontline. Thankfully most of their wounds didn't seem fatal. Broken bones and a few middle degree cuts seemed to be the standard... with one exception: One of them had seemingly gotten his ribcage torn open. Merlin quickly looked away as he feared to throw up, if he examined that too closely right now.

  
Instead he observed the fight. The Afanc had a few burned looking patches of skin, but apart from that it looked uninjured. The swords didn't so much as scratch the thing. Merlin had a mind to chastise them for not using their torches more, but he quickly understood why, when one such attempt ended with another knight getting pulled away. They might have been the only thing that actually hurt it, but their reach was too short. Swinging their torches at it meant getting into it's hitting range, while the swords were long enough to keep it at bay. The knight's plan seemed to be to slowly tire it out with their superior numbers until it made a fatal mistake or something. But Merlin could see that in contrast to the panting knights... the Afanc didn't seem to tire at all. 

  
Just as he had feared. They wouldn't make it without the last element. So before anyone else could get hurt he drew on his magic.

  
_"Lyfte ic þe in balwen ac forhienan._ "A strong wind picked up and rushed towards the Afanc. 

  
As it brushed past the knights Arthur readied his torch and shouted: "Now!"

  
As one they all threw their torches at the construct, which wailed in pain while getting incinerated to ashes. Merlin breathed a sigh of relief. He was almost on his way to the injured, when he heard one of the knights ask: "Where did that wind suddenly come from?"

  
Merlin stoped in his tracks. If that wind got connected to his sudden arrival... He shouldn't be here. After one careful look to the most injured knight he came to the conclusion that any help would already come too late. The others seemed at least ok. So he turned back and quietly hurried outside, where he quickly informed Gaius, that the knights were coming and needed medical attention.

* * *

Once the last injury was taken care of Merlin and Gaius finally sat down at their table for a relaxed meal. Hungry as he was Merlin had already inhaled the first few bites before he hesitated.

  
"This fish didn't come from the water, did it?"

  
"Well, where else is it going to come from? The water's fine now that the Afanc's curse has been broken. That's not your worry. This is the work of a very powerful sorcerer. I only hope you didn't come to her attention."

  
"Her? How do you know it's a woman?"

  
"I recognized the markings on the shell the knights brought with them. She's an old and mighty enemy of Uther. I have warned him about her, but I doubt she will stop before Camelot has been completely destroyed."

  
Far away in a damp cave Nimueh cursed as she splashed her water basin into disarray. "Damn right, I won't. Merlin, you will pay for this!"


	6. You want me to do what?!

Merlin smiled as he stoppered the last potion. It had taken him the whole day to brew this giant load of potions. While he did enjoy the process at first, following the exact same recipe over and over and over again had quickly proven to be very tedious. So he was glad as the last ginger was cut, the last mint was ground and the last fennel boiled. So when he finally placed the final vial into the final empty spot of the box, he did it with great satisfaction. Merlin leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes and allowed himself a moment of rest after this long and tiresome work.

  
Just that second Gaius entered the room. "Ah, seems like you've finished just in time. I've brought the next batch of ginger."

  
Merlin got up with a start. "What?! There's still more?"

  
"Certainly. The glass blower should arrive shortly with the new vials." With that he hoisted his big bag full of herbs onto the table.

  
The boy gaped at him. "Why on earth would we need _this many hangover potions?!"_

  
"Haven't you heard? King Bayard has arrived to sign a peace treaty."

  
"Yeah. Hard not to notice with so many foreign faces around. But why all the potions?"

  
"Because if there's a treaty, there will be a feast. And if there's a feast, the nobles will drink themselves into oblivion. And considering the last feast of this caliber ended in a food fight of all things... Let's just say I didn't stock up enough to supply two royal courts with the remedy and I will _not_ make that mistake again."

  
"A food fight? Really?" Merlin suddenly had a quite vivid image in his head showcasing a very wasted Prince, armed with a ladle, in a fierce battle with some roasted pork. The pork was winning. His daydream was getting more ridiculous by the second. Fortunately for his sanity there was a tentative knock on the door.

  
Merlin opened it and was confronted with a young beauty. On first glance she might have passed as a servant, but her dress was finely embroidered. The deep and vivid colors also seemed way too expensive for a simple maidservant. Considering he had never seen her before, she probably came from the mercian party. Maybe King Bayard wanted to showcase his wealth by stuffing out his servants or something.

  
"May I come in?"

  
Oops. He had been staring, hadn't he? "Of course. Do come in. How can we help you?"

  
She held up her hand and presented a cut on her finger. It was small, but seemed to bleed quite profoundly. "I was told to come here for treatment."

  
"Well, you were told right. Just a second. We will patch you up in no time."

  
Gaius seemed content to leave this little injury to him as he continued with the hangover potions. Merlin took some water to clean the wound and went for some light conversation. "I'm Merlin by the way. What's your name?"

  
"Cara."

  
"So Cara, how did you get that wound, if you don't mind me asking?"

  
"I have cut myself while preparing food for the feast."

  
Merlin tilted his head. "Foreign servants are allowed in Camelot's kitchens?"

  
"Er, no. It wasn't for the grand feast. It was just our own food for when the nobles are feasting."

  
"Ah. I see." He took her hand to examine the wound more closely before he started to gently wrap it. Doing that he couldn't help but notice how fair her hands were. Apart from the one cut they seemed unblemished. No little scars from clumsily cut food, no sign of heavy lifting, no hardened skin from needlework. Not even Morgana's hands were as delicate as this.

  
"You are very skilled at this."

  
"Well, I am apprenticed to the court physician after all. This is my job."

  
"Still. Thank you, Merlin."

  
"That was nothing."

  
"It was nice meeting you." With that she gave him a charming smile before leaving their chambers. He looked after her even as she was out of sight. Gaius effectively gripped his attention by dangling some fennel in front of his face.

  
"Camelot to Merlin: There is still work to do. So stop staring after pretty girls and get back to the fennel."

  
"Don't you think that was a little strange?"

  
"How so?"

  
"I'm not sure... Somehow I doubt she is a servant. If I had to guess, I'd say she is a noble in disguise."

  
"That would indeed be curious. Maybe we should keep an eye out. But before that, I still need you to boil this down."

* * *

That evening Merlin found himself awkwardly standing at the side of the hall of ceremonies. As the court physician's apprentice he resided in the strange limbo of being allowed at the feast, but not honored enough to sit at one of the tables. It was strange to say the least. He watched the ceremony and was gradually paying less and less attention to it until Gwen graced him with her presence. Thank the goddess for Gwen! 

  
"Hello Merlin, would you like some wine?"

  
"Hi Gwen! Am I even allowed to drink? This position at the wall is so strange. Who would want to just stay here and watch other people as they either work or get drunk?"

  
She chuckled. "Well, you are technically allowed to get drunk with them, but I wouldn't recommend it. I don't want to be responsible, if you manage to insult two kings at once in a drunken stupor."

  
"Ah, yeah. I still have hope for that single day without any death threats to my head, so better keep it low."

  
"Really? I thought that was a lost cause."

  
They both chuckled at that. By chance Merlin noticed how the woman from before entered the room and slipped in between the other Mercian servants.

  
"Ah, Gwen? Do you see that maid over there?"

  
"Yes. She's pretty, isn't she? For a handmaiden, I mean"

  
"Err... I guess, yeah... But that's not the point. Could you maybe keep an eye on her?"

  
Guinevere stared at him in surprise. Feeling uncomfortable under her gaze he asked: "What?"

  
"Nothing, just... Morgana asked the same thing of me this morning. What is it about this woman, that makes her so suspicious? Morgana didn't tell me."

  
"Well I don't know, what Morgana noticed, but I don't think, she is who she claims to be."

  
"And who do you think she is?"

  
"I don't know, but-" That moment the hall broke into applause. Apparently the kings had finally signed their treaty and now it was time for food and drinks. So Gwen had to leave Merlin in favor of serving her mistress. 

  
The foreign king presented the head table with some shiny goblets. "As a symbol of our goodwill and our newfound friendship..."

  
Merlin didn't pay attention to the king's speech. This was all pomp and swank anyway. Instead he looked over to where the suspicious woman had entered. She wasn't there. What? Where did she disappear to? He just looked away for a second and-

  
"Merlin, I need to speak to you." 

  
Merlin jumped in surprise as a voice sounded from just behind him. He turned around to see 'Cara' as she anxiously waited for a reply.

  
"What is it?"

  
"Not here please. I don't know who else to tell."

  
Merlin looked around and noticed Gwen watching them with concern. He looked back at the nervous woman before him and nodded. She quickly pulled him into a corridor. Once there was no one in earshot she started rambling: "It wasn't until I saw him give the goblet to Arthur that I realized-"

  
"Whoa, slow down. Start from the beginning."

  
"Two days ago, I was bringing Bayard his evening meal. We're supposed to knock. He didn't expect me to walk in..."

  
"So... What are you trying to say?"

  
"If he knows I said anything, he will kill me."

  
"Are you saying, Bayard doesn't want peace? Is he trying to kill the king?"

  
The woman looked slightly surprised by this conclusion. "No, he's after the prince. He believes that if he kills Arthur, Uther's spirit will be broken and Camelot will fall."

  
Merlin was skeptical. From what he had seen of Uther so far, it was more likely the king would leash out and throw his army at anyone who would dare to try something like this. Maybe sensing his skepticism she went on: "I saw him put something in the goblet."

  
"You're telling me, King Bayard came to Camelot with only a handful of knights to poison the prince, but not the king, even though both of them would drink from his gifts?"

  
This seemed to stump her for a second. But she quickly recovered: "I don't know his plans. Maybe he poisoned the other goblet before I entered. I only saw him putting something into the prince's chalice. I know what I saw."

  
Plausible. But Merlin didn't believe her. The fear and anxiety from the beginning seemed all but gone. She didn't seem scared. More like... a little impatient and frustrated. Which didn't seem like the right emotions, if you were committing treason to your king in order to prevent an assassination attempt.

  
She looked even more put about as she stated: "Look, that goblet is poisoned and if you don't do anything, the prince will die. Is that what you want?"

  
Merlin sighed.

* * *

  
"Stop!" Merlin ran into the hall and quickly motioned for Arthur's attention before the goblet had a chance to touch his lips. The prince froze mid-motion. "It is- could- might... It's probably poisoned! Anyway. Don't drink it!"

  
He sprinted up to Arthur and grabbed the goblet from his still motionless hand.

  
"What?" Uther's voice was a mix of surprise and indignation.

  
Arthur leaned in close to Merlin and whispered angrily: "Merlin, what are you doing?"

  
Merlin didn't whisper back. Instead he announced for the whole room: "Someone probably laced this goblet with poison."

  
Bayard was outraged. "This goblet is a present of goodwill from myself to Camelot. Are you insinuating I am trying to kill the prince?!"

  
"I didn't say that. I said _someone proba-"_

  
They didn't listen to him. Instead Bayard and his men drew their swords, so of course the knights of Camelot did the same. Uther tried to regain some kind of order in the hall. "Order your men to put down their swords. You are outnumbered."

  
"I will not allow this insult to go unchallenged!

  
Uther addressed Merlin instead: "On what grounds do you base this accusation?"

  
"I don't want to accuse his majesty at all." He said so with a bow in Bayard's direction. "All I want to say is, that a witness, which I don't know well enough to declare as trustworthy by the way, has confided in me to have seen King Bayard lacing this goblet with poison." Before any of the kings could rage against him again he continued. "I don't know, if it is true. But I thought 'Better safe with a rude interruption than sorry with a dead prince and a new war."

  
This declaration seemed to be agreeable for almost everyone in the room. Unfortunately that didn't include the two kings.

  
"I won't listen to this anymore. This is outrage!"

  
Uther seized the other monarch up and down and tried to read the man in front of him. "If you're telling the truth..."

  
"I am." That came without a hint of hesitation.

  
"Then you have nothing to fear, do you?" Bayard sheathed his sword and reached for the goblet, but Uther halted him. "No. If this does prove to be poisoned, I want the pleasure of killing you myself."

  
Bayard snorted in amusement. Seems like he would have similar thoughts, had the roles been reversed. Instead Uther gestured to Merlin, who still held the goblet as if it would bite him any second. 

  
"He'll drink it."

  
Silence. No one dared to utter a single word. Well... With one exception:

  
"You want me to do _what?!"_

  
His mouth dropped open in disbelief. Merlin stared at the king as if the whole world had just stopped to make sense. 

  
That prompted Arthur to announce his own objection: "But if it is poisoned, he'll die!" Arthur seemed to be just as confused by this as Merlin was.

  
"Then we'll know he was telling the truth." What utter bullocks was this?

  
"And what if he lives?", Bayard chimed in.

  
"Then you have my apologies, and you can do with him as you will."

  
Suddenly Gaius rushed into the fray. "Uther, please! He's just a boy! He doesn't know what he's saying!"

  
"Then you should've schooled him better." Was this really happening?

  
Arthur seemed like he wanted to intervene again, but was stopped as the king raised up his hand to demand silence. He dramatically gestured over to Merlin. 

  
"Go on then. Drink."

  
Merlin couldn't believe this. A week ago the king had taken his time to personally thank him for his overachieving service to the crown and now... What the actual fuck? Arthur seemingly agreed and tried to intervene again, but this time it was Merlin, who held up his hand. All attention was on him.

  
The whole room seemed to hold its breath as he raised the goblet and toasted first to Uther and Bayard, then to Arthur and Gaius. Then he slowly turned to where the foreign servants were positioned and upon finding the girl from before, he toasted to her too. He looked her in the eyes as he slowly raised the goblet to his lips and... 

  
He tilted it downwards. The following splash of wine on stone floor rang loudly through the otherwise silent hall.

  
Once again no one dared to interrupt the reigning silence until Merlin himself announced: "What? How stupid do you think I am? There are better ways to test for poison and judging by her outraged face I would advise to arrest that so called _'witness'_ over there." He pointed at the openly fuming Nimueh.

  
Before anyone could judge his announcement a new sound rang through the hall. It was the sound of an outraged shriek of utter frustration. So high and wild, it was almost inhumane. Nimueh's fury filled eyes turned golden as she bellowed out a spell. The knights readied themselves for impact. The civilians dove for cover. Once again Merlin proved to be an exception as he just stood there confused. Wasn't that a spell to lift something? And it wasn't even a powerful one. "What are you trying to-"

  
He didn't finish his sentence because at that moment he saw, what she had lifted. But it was too late. The tiny translucent flower petal from the goblet hovered out of the chalice and shot into his still open mouth. He tried to spit it out, but it was properly stuck.

  
For a moment he stared at the witch's victorious smirk. Then no more as he once again fell into unconsciousness.

  


* * *

  
The door to the physician's chambers almost flew off its hinges as Sir Ewan barreled through it with Gwen hot on his heels. He quickly crossed the room and gently laid Merlin down on the by now familiar cot. Seconds later Gaius hurried into the room and got straight to business despite breathing heavily because of his sprint all the way from the hall.

  
"Gwen, fetch me some water and a towel."

  
Ewan watched helplessly as Gaius examined his ward. "Is he going to be alright?"

  
"He's burning up", the physician mumbled more to himself.

  
Gwen handed Gaius a wet towel as she asked: "You can cure him, can't you Gaius?"

  
"I won't know until I can identify the poison."

  
Ewan seemed confused by this. "Wasn't he cursed by the witch? She spoke and suddenly he started choking."

  
"No. This is definitely poison." He gently dabbed Merlin's forehead to cool him down a little.

  
"But he didn't touch the wine, did he?"

  
"The poison doesn't necessarily come from the wine itself. Has one of you brought the goblet?"

  
"Here." Gwen pulled the goblet from god knows where within her dress. Ewan stared at it a second before he asked: "So... Was he already poisoned and the spell only activated it?"

  
Gwen was the one to answer. "I don't think so. To me it looked like he was trying to spit something out."

  
Gaius eyes widened in understanding. So _that's_ what the spell was for. He immediately left the goblet and instead examined Merlin's mouth. 

  
"There are some pincers and a tiny mirror in that cupboard on the left."

  
Sir Ewan hastily got the instruments and watched as the physician prodded inside his charges mouth until finally: "Ah! There's something stuck under his tongue." He pulled out a tiny petal.

  
"What is it?"

  
"It looks like a flower petal of some kind."

  
Gwen had meanwhile taken over the task of cooling Merlin's forehead. "His brow's on fire!"

  
"Keep him cool. It'll help control his fever."

  
Gwen tended to Merlin while Gaius pulled out a book and frantically compared his sample with the illustrations on the pages. That was the moment Arthur stormed into the room.

  
"How is he?"

  
Gaius ignored him in favor of his search. So Sir Ewan saluted and gave his report to the prince: "The witch seems to have poisoned him with an as of yet unknown flower. We don't know the details yet, but it doesn't look good." 

  
"Damn!" Arthur cursed with gusto. "This idiot! When will he learn to keep his stupid big mouth shut?!"

  
Ewan had always known the prince to care for his subject but he was surprised by the fierce reaction. Even more surprising was the worried, almost... no, definitely pained look in his eyes. He had never observed so much emotion on the face of his usually very composed prince. Seeing him this insecure was unsettling. Still... There was something he needed to know:

  
"Sire, if you don't mind me asking... What happened to the witch?"

  
Gwen piqued up at this to hear Arthur's answer more clearly. "She got away", the prince gritted out, "Disappeared in a whirl of wind without a trace. The feast was postponed, Bayard and his men retired to their chambers and the knights were send out to track down the witch."

  
No one pointed out that this basically meant that Arthur and Sir Ewan were supposed to take part in the witch hunt. After a short silence Gaius finally announced: "I found it! The petal comes from the Mortaeus flower. It says here that someone poisoned by the Mortaeus can only be saved by a potion made from the leaf of the very same flower. It can only be found in the caves deep beneath the Forest of Balor. The flower grows on the roots of the Mortaeus tree."

  
"That's behind the Mountains of Isgaard, about a day's ride from Camelot." Arthur already seemed to plan out the route to the cave.

  
"You need to beware of the Cockatrice. It guards the forest. Its venom is potent. A single drop would mean certain death. Few who have crossed the Mountains in search of the Mortaeus flower have made it back alive."

  
"Sounds like fun." Once again Ewan was surprised by his prince. How far was he willing to go for the boy?

  
"Arthur, it's too dangerous."

  
"If I don't get the antidote, what happens to Merlin?"

  
"The Mortaeus induces a slow and painful death. He may hold out for four, maybe five days, but not for much longer. Eventually he will die."

  


* * *

  
"I said NO!"

  
"But father! Gaius says the poison is lethal and will kill him within days."

  
Uther had long since dismissed his son to end this argument. Failing that, he had left the room himself. Unfortunately Arthur had not given up and followed him outside. Now their dispute continued while they were briskly walking through the hallways of the castle. 

  
"If I would gather some men now, we could ride at dawn-"

  
"You will do no such thing! And the knights are under strickt orders to stay here and protect the city. We can not compromise our defenses with that witch on the loose."

  
"I wouldn't compromise us. I only need a small number of-"

  
"No."

  
"Why not?"

  
"Because one day I will be dead and Camelot will need a king. I'm not going to let you jeopardize the future of this kingdom over one little peasant."

  
"Oh? Because his life's worthless?"

  
"No. Because it's worth _less_ than yours."

  
Arthur definitely had something to say about that, but he caught himself because that moment he saw King Bayard appearing in the corridor.

  
"Ah, Uther. There you are. I am sorry to interrupt, but I wanted to inform you of our departure."

  
Arthur watched as his father visibly swallowed his anger and put on his diplomatic facade before turning to the foreign king.

  
"Already? But you have only just arrived here."

  
"Sadly we will have to cut our reunion short. I don't want to leave my kingdom unprotected with that sorceress out there. We will ride at dawn."

  
"Of course. We all need to be vigilant in the face of magic. Hopefully we will be able to catch up another time without unfortunate interruptions."

  
"We certainly will. Farewell, King Uther."

  
King Bayard shook his hand heartily before turning to Arthur. "And farewell to you too, Prince Arthur. I hope we will be able to get properly acquainted next time."

  
The king held his hand out to Arthur. Upon taking it Arthur was surprised to feel something small being pressed into his palm. The king had slipped a tiny piece of parchment into his hand. He tried to act natural.

  
"Definitely. I heard great things about your prowess with the broadsword. It would be a shame to miss out on it."

  
Bayard gave a good natured laugh at that. "Now that is flattering, coming from Camelot's finest warrior. I would like to see you in action myself one day. But alas, today is not that day. I wish you two the best of luck."

  
With that the king purposely strode out of sight. Arthur looked after him a moment until he turned back to his father. Uthers's gaze hardened immediately. He spat out a low "We are done here" before he walked away in the other direction. 

  
This time Arthur didn't follow him. Instead he looked around, decided that this wasn't a good place and hastily made his way to his chambers. Confirming that his servant wasn't in the room, he opened the tiny scroll.

  
_'Meet us in the woods at dawn.'_

  


* * *

  
Arthur didn't sleep that night. His mind was way too busy as it circled around Merlin. The idiot had done it _again._ He had saved him again and was poisoned. _Again!_ When would he learn that this wasn't how it's supposed to work? Nobles and especially knights were supposed to protect their subjects. Not the other way around! Why did that not stick in his head? That's how it was supposed to be, wasn't it? Except the king seemed to think differently... Why didn't he allow him to save the boy? 

More so: He had ordered him to drink the poison in the first place! What was his father thinking? At least Merlin had proven a little amount of self preservation and hadn't done it. Great deal it did him in the end though. And now he was dying from poison that was meant for himself. _Again!_

  
This was all wrong. He had to do something.   
So he would. Simple as that. It was only right. 

  
So he abandoned his bed and packed some supplies for the trip. Tomorrow he would use the overall disarray that was a foreign dignitary and his escort leaving the city and slip away, hopefully unnoticed. Also King Bayard apparently wanted to meet him without his father knowing. What was that all about? It could be a trap. If he had ill intentions, now would be the ideal time to make his move. If something were to happen to him, it would be easy to blame the witch for his death. Maybe they were working together. It would be possible. But... He had seen the outrage on Bayard's face as Merlin declared the goblet to be poisoned. And he really seemed to be willing to drink the wine in question... Somehow Arthur didn't think the king had anything to do with it. So he decided to meet him in the woods tomorrow before riding to the Forest of Balor.

  
He was in the process of stuffing a spare tunic into his bag, when Morgana suddenly waltzed into his room.

  
"Say what you like about the food, but you can't beat our feast for entertainment."

  
Arthur snorted, but quickly got serious again. "Morgana, I'm sorry, I should have made sure you were alright."

  
"Well... You were clearly busy." She looked at the shirt in his hand and the half packed bag behind him.

  
"I am, err... I'm just- Ok. Yes, I'm leaving. Please don't tell father."

  
"Wouldn't dream of it. Sometimes you've got to do what you think is right and damn the consequences. So when can I meet you at the stables?"

  
"What?! Morgana, no! You shouldn't get involved. It's dangerous."

  
"Spare me the lecture. I've already had it from Uther."

  
"If it's any consolation, you weren't the only one. But still, I need you here to keep an eye on him. When he notices I'm gone, he will be furious. I don't think he will do anything to Merlin, but if he wants to make a point... I don't know what he will do, but he will do something."

  
Morgana was surprised by the honest concern in his eyes. It seems he really was scared of what his father could do in his anger. So even though she really wanted to ride with him, she conceded.

  
"Alright. I will have an eye on him. I'm sure I can calm him down somewhat, if he tries something."

  
"Thank you, Morgana."

  


* * *

  
It was surprisingly simple to get by the guards unnoticed and sneak out of the city. Arthur was surprised by the sheer amount of incompetence. He even managed to get his horse through for heaven's sake! Looks like he would have to up their training regiment significantly. Maybe he should have taken the guard captain's complain about his men's lacking morale a bit more seriously...

  
Anyway. It took him no time at all to reach the woods, where King Bayard and some of his men were waiting just out of Camelot's sight. Most of the entourage had ridden on and was probably on its way back to Mercia. Only a handful of knights had stayed behind with their king, who grinned widely as he spotted the prince arriving.

  
"Ah, Prince Arthur. What a pleasant coincidence meeting you here."

  
Arthur huffed. "Coincidence indeed. Who would have guessed?" The king's knights seemed just as amused as their sovereign. He felt the easy camaraderie between them just as he shared it with his own knights. They must have gone through many battles together. Arthur hadn't lied when he had complimented the king for his fame as a warrior. Unfortunately Arthur had a certain boy to save, so he got straight to business.

  
"While I would like to know, what made you halt this close to Camelot, I also have to say that I am a bit in a hurry."

  
"Of course. The poor boy doesn't save himself now, does he? And fear not. We don't plan to delay you further. Far from it in fact. I am offering our assistance for your quest."

  
Arthur blinked several times. _"What?"_ He stared at the man for a short while before he internally slapped himself. He had been trained in diplomacy, hadn't he? Time to get his bearings together. He was talking to a king after all. "Not that I'm not grateful for the offer, but... This is Camelot's business and should not concern you. So why would you get yourself involved?"

  
Bayard amusedly looked him in the eyes as he said: "Because I couldn't help but overhear your little disagreement in the hallway." Arthur tried to hide the small flush that crept onto his cheeks. Whether he succeeded or not, the king continued: "And I have to say, I agree with you. That boy singlehandedly thwarted that sorceress' plan. He is bright as well as loyal and Uther is a right fool for abandoning him. But most importantly: If it wasn't for that boy, our kingdoms would be back at war by now. So I feel like I owe him that much."

  
There were nods all around. So he wasn't the only one to deem his father's rejection as irrational. His fierce denial to go after the witch had struck him as odd. Usually he would have sent him and his men to eradicate any sorcerer that threatened Camelot. This Nimueh must be a formidable opponent indeed if he was this adamant for Arthur not to confront her. Having King Bayard's knights as backup would certainly be very useful, but he couldn't just endanger those men and especially the king himself on his quest.

  
"I am very grateful, your highness. But this sorceress is an old enemy of Camelot's and a very powerful one at that. Going after her will prove to be very dangerous. I can not risk your or your men's life for-"

  
"Nonsens! That's even more reason for you to not follow her alone."

  
"It's probably a trap."

  
"I'm aware."

  
"And there is a cockatrice guarding the cave."

  
"So what? What beast could stand before the combined force of Mercia's and Camelot's finest?"

  
Arthur sighed. "Very well. Thank you for your assistance."

  
"You are very welcome." The king nodded in approval. "So. Where will we find that antidote of yours?"

  


* * *

  
"This marks the entrance to the Forest of Balor. We need to be on high alert from now on. The cockatrice' territory is close."

  
Arthur and his unlikely company of Mercian Knights rode onto a small clearing. They all had their guard up and were ready to act at a second's notice. Even the horses seemed to be getting anxious. So they decided for a short break to tend to them and rest for possibly the last time before the cave. It was eerily silent in these woods, Arthur noticed.

  
One of the foreign knights asked into the quiet: "Excuse my lack of knowledge, but... Can anyone explain to me, what this Cocka-something is, we are watching out for?"

  
Arthur's eyes didn't stray from the surrounding trees as he answered: "From what I have been told by our court physician the cockatrice is a lizardlike beast, about the size of a horse. We need to especially look out for the jaw and claws since its venom is lethal."

  
"Ah." was the short answer he got from the man.

  
"Why would a physician inform you about magical beasts?", another man piqued up.

  
"Gaius is the most knowledgeable about these things. Also: The boy that has been poisoned is his apprentice, so of course he searched for a cure to this predicament."

  
This time it was the king that spoke up: "This boy... What's his name?"

  
"Merlin."

  
Bayard hummed. "I have heard whispers that something like this has happened before. Is there truth to this?"

  
Arthur grit his teeth at this. "He... has been known to throw himself into harms way. The idiot has no sense of self preservation."

  
Bayard raised his brow at that particular comment. "Ah, I see. You two seem uncommonly close for a prince and a commoner. Well... it seems the Pendragons have a tradition of becoming friends with their physicians."

  
Arthur sputtered. "We are _not-"_ He turned to the king in order to properly explain himself, but as he saw movement behind the man he reacted on instinct.

  
"WATCH OUT!"

  
Bayard's eyes widened in surprise as the prince launched himself at the king and dragged him down. And not a moment too soon, because a giant menacing claw swiped just over their heads. The knights immediately drew their swords and posed to surround the beast. The cockatrice tried to get out of the circle through the as of yet only opening, which was the position the two royals had occupied before going down. Said royals hastily tried to get up, but the beast jumped right into them and directly upon Arthur. There was a sickening CRACK as its full force landed on his arm. The king had more luck. He got his sword ready and sliced at the beast's belly. The cut was shallow, but it caused the monster to rush away from them.

  
Despite the pain Arthur stemmed himself up and finally managed to draw his own sword. His left arm bent at an unnatural angle. It hurt like hell, but at least he still had his sword arm. So he got into position between the other men. The cockatrice frantically tried to escape the circle of swords, but there was no opening. Seeing all his blood it must have deemed Arthur to be the weakest link in his trap, so it launched itself at him. That was a mistake. He nimbly sidestepped the attack and with a well aimed swipe of his sword, cut its head clean of.

  
The only audible sound came from the head rolling a few feed over the fallen leaves. 

  
When it finally stoped, the king announced: "Impressive."

  
And with that the tension broke. The knights cheered and congratulated Arthur for his skill and prowess. The prince reveled in it for a moment, but it was hard to truly enjoy anything with his undoubtedly broken arm. A knight that had been very quiet until now approached him and offered help with his injury. The man wanted to rip his cloak to make some improvised bandages, but Arthur insisted they use his own. Once he got back to Camelot it would be hard to explain a ripped cloak in the colors of Mercia.

  
So they more or less stemmed the bleeding and made him a splint utilizing a somewhat straight branch... It would have to do for now. After they had seen the extend of his injury, they were throwing him concerned glances. Even the king seemed unsure. Bayard looked him in the eye for a second before asking what everyone was wondering themselves: "So, what now?"

  
Arthur stoically ignored the throbbing in his arm as he firmly announced: "Now we have a cave to explore."

  


* * *

  
They had been wandering through the Cave of Balor for some hours until they arrived at a gap that went down deep into the unknown. The tunnel they had followed ended at a small cliff. Across the gap there was a smaller ledge. It would be big enough to stand, but it seemed brittle and with their numbers... balancing along the wall would be precarious. Arthur was about to order for them to turn back, but a knight exclaimed: "Up there! Could that be it?"

  
The combined light from all their torches was just enough to illuminate the far wall. And indeed, high within the ragged stone wall was a little flower, which matched the illustration in Gaius' book perfectly. He tried to visually map the wall for a safe route to climb, but his thoughts got interrupted by the sound of a low mumbling from inside the tunnel.

  
Suddenly the whole cave started to shake violently. As rocks begun to fall above them, Arthur made the quick decision to jump across to the other ledge. He landed safely, but grunted in pain as he jolted his injury. As more and more rocks rained down from the tunnel, the others hastily followed his example. Thankfully the ground seemed to hold and there was hardly any rubble falling on this side. It was tight and their movements were heavily compromised, but for now they seemed safe.

  
After a short while the cave stopped shaking and from within a woman carrying a single torch appeared. The light eerily highlighted her sinister smile as she slowly stepped forward.

  
"Arthur Pendragon, I have to say, I expected a bit... _more."_ She eyed his disheveled appearance as well as his bloody arm in the sling.

  
"Nimueh." Arthur almost spat the word.

  
"Oh? You know of me? I'm surprised the old coward had the guts to tell you about me."

  
"What would there be to tell? You are a known sorcerer and it's only a matter of time until Camelot will rid itself of you."

  
"Oh believe me, I would have much to tell you. But whatever for? Considering you and your friends there will never see the light of day again."

  
On cue a giant spider showed up. Drawing their swords was awkward in their limited space, but they managed. King Bayard quickly disposed it since he was closest to the thing.

  
"Very good. But he won't be the last. Since it's unfortunately not your destiny to die at my hand... I'll let his friends finish you off, Arthur Pendragon."

  
With a simple word of power all their torches blew out at once. Nimueh laughed heartily as she disappeared into the tunnel, taking the only source of light with her. As they were plunged into darkness Arthur tried to adjust his eyes, but to no avail. They were effectively blind and judging by the sound there was a whole army of spiders approaching.

  
"Great." Someone deadpaned.  
"I hate spiders."  
"I can't see shit."  
"What are we gonna do?"  
"So this is how it ends, huh?"  
"I always hated spiders."

  
_"QUIET!"_ Arthur cut through the chatter. "Listen for the sound of the beasts and kick them down the cliff."

  
From somewhere close the voice of Bayard agreed. "He's right. We aren't dead yet. So get your shit together and fight! Are you knights of Mercia or what?!"

  
"Aye!" They agreed before falling silent. If they were to die here today, they would go down fighting! 

  
This was by far the strangest battle Arthur had ever partaken in. The knights kept silent with a fierce determination, but the sounds of battle couldn't be dampened. Swords screeching on stone, the occasional grunt of pain, the squeak of felled spiders and the overall rustling of way too many hairy legs. It was difficult to get a read of the situation, but Arthur could tell, they were getting overrun. If only they had some godforsaken light!

  
And just as he was loosing his last hope, he saw something. "What the-" Arthur whipped his head around to the sudden light source. Behind him floated a strange orb that swirled with blue and white strands of light. It gently hovered by his side until it suddenly zipped past him. By reflex Arthur's gaze followed it and that was the only reason he managed to raise his sword in time to intercept the attacking spider.

  
The light returned to his side and bobbed up and down as if calling for his attention. Then it slowly floated upwards. Between slashing off some legs and kicking down some bodies he dared to look up to the sphere. It bobbed again.

  
Arthur ignored the strange and obviously magical thing in favor of keeping his stance against the spiders. After a particularly effective swing, that send most of the beasts before him tumbling down the chasm, he yelped in surprise as the light suddenly zoomed into his face. It didn't touch him, but it stubbornly stayed in the center of his vision no matter how he turned. How could a blob of light seem so indignant at being ignored? Somehow he managed to get affronted by this thing. 

  
It finally flew upwards again and with one final resolut bob he got the mental image of crossed arms and an unimpressed raised eyebrow. He shook the illogical association out of his head before announcing: "Up! We need to climb up!"

  
"Are you _insane?!",_ one of the knights protested, but Bayard quickly silenced him: "Shut up and climb, Howard!"

  
And so their desperate climb began. Arthur noticed that he was closest to the Mortaeus Flower, but it was still a way off. He tried to recall his earlier planed route as he climbed toward it, which was quite a challenge. As if the occasional spider at his feet wasn't enough. His left arm was still useless and each movement shot an excruciating pain through his body. He ignored it. As a part of the wall broke off and almost made him fall himself, the light frantically waved in front of him. It desperately 'pointed' upwards and was obviously not pleased with Arthur making a detour.

  
"I'm not gonna leave without it", he grit out between his teeth. "He will die, if I can't get it to him in time."

  
The light halted. After short deliberation it seemed to resign itself and instead lighted the way to the flower. With improved sight the climb got much easier. With a victorious cry he grabbed it and jammed it beneath his belt. He hardly remembered the rest of the climb until he finally emerged at the surface and some rough hands pulled him outside. 

  
He turned around and drew his sword in anticipation of the spider army, but to his surprise none of the beasts dared to leave the dark crack in the ground. He released a deep breath and looked for the light, but couldn't find it.

  
Realizing that the danger was over the knights started to cheer in disbelief. They laughed and clapped each other on the shoulders. The king joined in between them - Just as relieved as the rest of them.

  
Arthur stood by and observed the spectacle for a moment. Now that the immediate threat was over and the adrenaline in his veins started to slow down, he felt like hell. His arm screamed at him from the torture he had put it through. Exhaustion was setting in. But as his head started to clear, there was something he needed to address:

  
"Your highness?"

  
The men immediately fell silent again at the cold and calculated exclaim. The king turned around to face him properly. Something about the solemn tone in the prince's voice told the king he had to thread carefully right now.

  
Seeing that he had Bayard's undivided attention he asked: "Mercia _does_ outlaw magic, does it not?"

  
"It does." The knights were listening attentively to what was unfolding between the two royals.

  
"Yet a blatantly magic light appeared just in time to conveniently save us."

  
The king's voice was calm but firm. "What are you insinuating, Prince Arthur?"

  
"We have fought side by side as comrades in arms, so I will ask bluntly: Does one of these men have magic?"

  
King Bayard raised his chin regally and looked him deep into the eyes as he proclaimed: "No."

  
Right as Arthur wanted to announce his disbelief, the king continued: "And if one of them had, I certainly wouldn't have taken him to Camelot. I would never knowingly endanger my man as such."

  
"Are you saying you would have left them in Mercia without carrying out justice?"

  
Bayard held Arthur's heavy gaze for a while before he let out the breath he had been holding. "While we did indeed ban the use of sorcery within our borders, I'll have you know that our punishments aren't as... _severe_ as the ones Camelot has become known for."

  
"Are you telling me, you let them live despite being corrupted by evil?" Unconsciously Arthur's hand went to his still sheaved sword.

  
A hush went through the knights. That motion did not go unnoticed. Bayard had seen it too of course, yet he stood his ground. _"Prince_ Arthur, you have no claim over my domain. Camelot's laws do not apply to my kingdom. Those are mine to judge and I'll be honest with you: I never believed magic to be the corrupting force your father declared it to be."

  
That obviously surprised Arthur immensely. So much so that Bayard could only wonder how deep Uther had ingrained his propaganda into his own son. In his confusion he had let go of his sword.

  
"But... But if you don't think magic is evil, why outlaw it at all?"

  
The king answered without hesitation: "Because if I hadn't, your father would have invaded our country with everything he had and would have laid waste to the countryside. Half my citizens would have been slaughtered before I would have had even a small chance to face him."

  
Arthur gaped at him. He had spoken full of conviction and with great resignation ringing through. Like he regretted his choice but had done what needed to be done in order to survive. Yet he couldn't imagine it. Not at all.

  
"No. Father wouldn't-", he didn't finish that sentence. _Wouldn't he?_ If it was necessary to eradicate sorcery... maybe he... No. No, this was outrageous. The kind of warfare Bayard had hinted at was genocide, not the liberation from evil his father stood for. His father only purged those who had been tainted by evil. He wouldn't... He...

  
"You're lying." He tried to sound firm, but even to his own ears it sounded anything but.

  
Bayard observed him with pity. So loyal. So blinded and yet so compassionate. Maybe there was still hope for Camelot after all. But he knew that if the prince were to overcome the lies that had been drilled into him, it certainly wouldn't be easy for him. So he saw no reason to pull his punch as he proclaimed:

  
"I still have the letter from twenty years ago, in which he described his plans for my country, if I were to and I quote 'choose the side of the savage vermin within my borders'. If you like, I could present it to you on my next visit."

  
Arthur had been confused before. But this threw him reeling. That was so unlike everything his father should stand for. It should be impossible. Blasphemy almost. By any means he should just disregard this slander. He should know better and catalog this as a foreign sovereign trying to sow unrest in the heart of his adversary's kingdom. But something kept nagging at him. _'Because it's worth less than yours.'_ His fathers words rang through him. He had been unnecessarily cruel to Merlin. And he didn't show any sign of remorse for the boy even though he didn't even have magic. Even without magic... If Bayard had tried to sow doubts into his mind, he had certainly succeeded. Damn this.

  
Arthur finally emerged from his inner conflict. "Why are you telling me this?"

  
The king's face softened. "Because I saw you stand up to your father as he ruled unjustly. Because you went against his orders to do what you thought to be right. Because you were prepared to face a dangerous sorceress alone for just a single peasant. And finally: Because when that magic light came to save you, your first instinct was to follow it, instead of stabbing it in the back."

  
The prince realized with a start that he was right. He should have anticipated some kind of attack, but he didn't. That light had felt strangely familiar and kind of soothing, if a bit impertinent. It didn't feel dangerous at all. Quite the opposite in fact. How had he not even questioned this?

  
His musings got interrupted by the king: "I guess, I have given you enough to think about for now. Also... Don't you have a flower to deliver?"

  
Arthur went rigid. Right! Merlin! Bayard laughed at the slight shock that went over the prince's face. "I'd say this is where our paths separate. I wish you the best of luck saving your friend."

  
"He isn't-"

  
"And Arthur?", he paused to get his full attention, "I hope you will keep what happened here between us. Uther certainly would not approve any of what was said and done today."

  
The prince hesitated a moment before answering: "I will think about it."

  
"That is all I ask. Very well, farewell Prince Arthur of Camelot." 

  
And with that the king and his knights rode off to their homeland. Arthur watched them for a short while, but soon turned towards Camelot. He had an idiot to save.

  


* * *

  
Gwen was helping Gaius tend to Merlin, when Sir Ewan rushed into the physician's chambers.

  
"Arthur has returned!"

  
"Did he find the flower? He doesn't have much longer." Gaius worriedly dabbed his wet cloth at Merlin's burned up forehead.

  
"I don't know. The king threw him in the dungeons as soon as he entered the citadel, but he got injured on his quest. His arm seems to be broken, so the king sends for you to tend to him in his cell."

  
The physician cursed and muttered a colorful selection of profanities under his breath as he grabbed his emergency satchel and hurried to the dungeons. Once he was gone Ewan approached the cot, where Merlin was lying.

  
"Didn't Gaius say he has a few days left? He looks like death already."

  
Gwen composed herself for a second before she solemnly stated: "Apparently the witch has enhanced the poison with magic. He's on death's door."

  
All color drained from the knight's face as he sat down on the chair that Gaius had occupied before. He helplessly watched as the boy muttered in his delirium. Ewan tentatively reached out and grabbed him at his shoulder in support.

  
"Come on, Merlin. You survived the poison of two magical beasts. You're not gonna get done in by a flower, will you?"

  


* * *

  
Arthur didn't understand his father at all. Don't get him wrong, he did understand why he was held in the dungeons. He did disobey the king's orders after all, but why did his father decide to discipline him by letting the boy die? Merlin hadn't done anything wrong. This didn't make any sense! The only thing his father had apparently been concerned about was, what the witch might have told him. Well, nothing. Exept some dubious claim of not being destined to kill him. What was that about and what the hell had his father expected her to tell him? The witch must hold some secret his father didn't want him to know. She had hinted at something like this too. But what? And why...

  
The door to his cell opened and Gaius entered. 

  
"Gaius!" The prince immediately jumped up and handed him the flower. Gaius closed his eyes in relief as he accepted it. But he promptly pushed Arthur back into seating position.

  
"Hold still, your highness. I need to examine your wound."

  
"What?! No! You need to make the antidote. My arm can wait."

  
"The king ordered for me to attend your injuries right here, right now. If he finds out I didn't, it will only make things worse."

  
Arthur tensed. His father again. This was so messed up. It shouldn't be like this. "Then make it quick and just replace the bandages. You can clean it properly later."

  
The physician looked very thankful as he deftly wound the linen around his arm and fixed it into a sling with practiced ease. He quickly finished up and while he waited for the guard to open the cell, he turned back to Arthur.

  
"Thank you, your highness."

  


* * *

  
"Did you get the flower?" Gwen immediately rushed to Gaius as he entered his chambers.

  
"I did." He didn't waste any time as he hurried to his mortar and started to crush the leaves. He worked quickly and methodically until suddenly he halted.

  
"Why have you stopped?"

  
"The poison was created using magic. We may need magic to make an antidote."

  
"But we can't. It's forbidden. Even if we could."

  
"I'll try and make it work without it. Oh, I need some fresh water." He handed her a bowl and she quickly ran off. Once she was gone he lifted the bowl up to eye level and started mumbling: _"Sythan arrest wearth feasceaft funden. Denum æfter dome. Dreamleas gebad he gewinnes longsum."_

  
The potion sizzled and foamed for a moment. So he still had it in him. After all this time... Gaius felt strangely pleased with himself until he heard a short gasp from the direction of the cot. He thought it came from Merlin, but instead he was faced with a very tense looking knight of Camelot.

  
Gaius' mouth went dry as all color quickly drained from his face. Stupid! How had he not noticed Sir Ewan was still there? 

  
The knight was still staring at the physician. His gaze went to the antidote, then to Merlin. Ewan swallowed heavily before turning his back to the sorcerer. His voice was clogged with emotion as he said: "I didn't see anything."

  
Gaius didn't have time to be properly shocked by this turn of events, because Gwen stormed back inside and thrust the bowl of water to him. He forced himself to get his bearings back together, finished the antidote and rushed back to Merlin's side.

  
"Hold his nose."

Gwen did so as he poured the potion into Merlin's mouth. Gaius barely noticed that Ewan also approached.

  
"Swallow, Merlin. Swallow it."

  
The knight put a hand on Merlin's chest and exclaimed: "He's stopped breathing! What's happening? Gaius?!"

Gaius put his head to Merlin's chest. "His heart has stopped."

  
"He's dead?" Gwen seemed to only barely hold herself together.

  
Gaius slumped back onto his seat. All fight left him as he said: "It's my fault. I should have looked after him better."

  
"No", Sir Ewan objected, "It's the witch's fault for poisoning him in the first place." He sounded so very bitter.

  
Gwen didn't manage to say anything. She just fell into Gaius' arms and sobbed her heart out. They stayed like this, a mess of wallowing emotions, until...

  
"That's disgusting. You should be ashamed of yourself. You're old enough to be her grandfather."

  
"Merlin!", they all exclaimed in unison. "You're alive!"

  
"No, I'm the ghost come back to haunt you."

  
Gwen shot up and grabbed Merlin's face to kiss him desperately, wich took him completely by surprise. Before he could even deliberate whether to return the kiss or not it was already over as she hastily drew back.

  
"Sorry! I'm just... I thought you were dead."

  
Merlin's brain struggled for an answer. "It's fine. It's more than fine... Erm... What happened? The last thing I remember is Cara's grinning face."

  


* * *

  
Once Arthur got released from his stay in the dungeons, he went straight to the physician's chambers. Presumedly to get his injury checked. Gaius carefully tended to the arm - properly this time. Once that was taken care of, he said something about checking on a patient in the lower town and left the two alone. After a short silence Arthur sat down beside Merlin.

  
"Still alive then?"

  
"Oh, yeah. Just about. I understand I have you to thank for that."

  
"Yeah, well, it was nothing."

  
"Clearly it was _something._ How did you manage to get injured _again?_ Seriously Arthur, you need to find another hobby for yourself. This is getting ridiculous."

  
"Still better that getting poisoned every other day."

  
"Touché. Well this sucks. I thought I had finally gotten out of babysitting you for your training sessions."

  
"Excuse me, you are not _babysitting_ me. And don't you think, you can just shirk off your duties this easily, you lazy sod. I expect you to be back at work tomorrow."

  
"Oh yeah, yeah of course. Bright and early, _sire."_

  
Arthur tried to hide his smile as he turned to leave. Just as he arrived at the door...

  
"Arthur... Thank you."

  
"You too. Get some rest."


	7. Just let him do his job

_Creeek._

The sound of a closing door went through the physician's chambers. Merlin awoke with a groan. They really needed to put some oil on those hinges. He slowly tried to sit up. Every muscle in his body screamed in protest. His head hurt and he still felt the last remnants of his fever. That flower had sure done a number on him. He blearily opened his eyes and squinted at the person, that must have just entered the room. He blinked the sleep away. Someone was leaning at their table with crossed arms. His vision slowly cleared and allowed him to recognize the figure... The boy startled.

"Your hi-highness!" Merlin had a sense of déjà-vu as he almost fell out of bed.

The king tiredly pinched the back of his nose and sighed. They stared at each other for a moment that felt way longer than it actually was. The king finally broke the silence and stated:

"We need to stop meeting like this." He sounded so done.

Merlin gulped. "I certainly agree, sire."

"See to it that we don't."

"Yes, sire."

The king made some kind of unconvinced grunt as he rose from his position. He pulled a pouch from his belt and dropped it onto the table. The telltale sound of chiming coins was unmistakable.

"You will not speak of this."

Merlin gaped at the bag uncomprehendingly. Don't blame him. He just awoke from his fever and no one had ever ~~bribed~~ rewarded him with a sack of coins. Uther was getting impatient for an answer. He _almost_ shouted: "Am I _understood?"_

"Yes! Yes, your highness!"

The king huffed and wasted no time as he left the chambers at a brisk pace. Merlin stared at the door long after he was gone. Finally he dared to released his breath. Then his gaze fell onto the pouch. Had the king just tried to bribe him? Merlin had no hope for it to be meant as an apology for the latest poison incident. This was probably another 'Thank you for saving my son's life... _again'._ But seriously? Merlin would have preferred an apology after that fucked up command from Uther a few days ago. But that would be too much to ask, obviously. No no. Who needs to admit they were in the wrong, if they could simply throw some money at their problems? He glared at the pouch and felt affronted... But his curiosity won out in the end. Careful as to not strain his already cramped muscles, he went to the table and looked inside... _Gold!?_ Those were actual gold coins! What the hell?

He took some of them to examine them closer since he had never seen a gold coin up close. He stared at them in disbelief. That was more than what he would earn in a year! What the fuck was he supposed to do with so much money? And 'Do not speak of this' my ass! How would he explain how he even got those? People would assume he had stolen them for heaven's sake! If someone saw him with this kind of coin–

_Creeek_.

Merlin startled as the door swung open. He hastily tried to put the gold back into the pouch to hide it from view. To his horror some coins fell to the ground and rolled towards the door. Nonononono! He tried to catch them, but his knees gave away under him. Oh right. Weak muscles from lethal poison. How could he forget? The purse hit the ground and slid across the room until it finally stopped beneath his cot. Merlin expected to soon join it on the floor, but to his surprise someone managed to catch him at the last second.

"While I am flattered that you would literally throw yourself at me, I think this is escalating a bit too quickly for my taste."

"Morgana?" Merlin found himself in the delicate, but strong arms of the Lady Morgana, who upon closer inspection, had a mischievous smile on her lips... Lips that were very, very indecently close to his own.

Merlin shrieked as he quickly jumped away from her. "I, I, I'm sorry! I didn't– Oh no! Morgana, I didn't mean to– I–"

Morgana chuckled at the sight of the beet red, stammering mess of a boy before her. "It's ok, Merlin. No harm done. You wouldn't do it on purpose." Merlin calmed down significantly. "No. The only thing to blame would be my natural charms."

She dramatically flicked her hair like all those ladies, that not so subtly tried to woo the prince whenever they got the chance. Seeing Morgana in such good humor, Merlin relaxed completely and laughed with her. Unfortunately his strength quickly left him and he was about to loose his balance once again. Morgana noticed and helped him back onto the bed.

"You really shouldn't run around in this condition, you know."

"Yeah, I know..." He briefly closed his eyes in relief once his legs weren't required to hold his weight anymore. He took a second to just breathe before he got his bearings back together "So... How did I earn the honor to be visited by _such a charming_ lady? Is there something you need of me?"

"What? Can't I just visit a friend without ulterior motives?"

"Oh, you certainly can, but in that case I'm surprised Gwen didn't tag along."

"Ah– You caught me. In fact there is something I wanted to ask you."

Merlin expected her to just ask, but she paused strangely, so he encouraged her: "Yeah. Ask away." For some reason Morgana still needed another second to gather herself. Did she... Did she just gulp? What was this about?

"It's about the sorceress..."

Merlin waited a moment for her to elaborate, but she had trailed off. Why was she so nervous all of a sudden? Morgana was _never_ nervous. She didn't _do_ nervous. He tried to prompt her again: "... Yes?" 

"Gwen mentioned that you were suspicious of the sorceress too, even before the ceremony. I... wanted to ask you why."

That was what made her all uncomfortable? Strange. Morgana usually wasn't this insecure about anything. He wondered why this was such a big deal to her... Maybe it was because of the magic? She grew up under Uther after all. Maybe she was afraid because a witch had managed to sneak into the castle that easily.

"Well, nothing grand really. She came to our chambers before the feast in her servant disguise. When I treated a cut on her finger, I thought her hands were a little too fair, her clothes a little too expensive and her choice of words... Well all in all I got the feeling, that something was wrong. To be true, I believed her to be a noble under cover. Never expected her to be a witch out for revenge though."

"Ah. So you just happened to notice inconsistencies beforehand. You didn't... _see_ her... at night?" She was fidgeting. Why was she fidgeting? He didn't understand.

Merlin furrowed his brow at this. "At night? Did you spot her skulking around the castle? Do you know, what she was up to?"

"Err, no. I– You know– You didn't _dream,_ did you?" The last part came out more like a mumble.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing. I... just happened to look out into the courtyard, because I... couldn't sleep, and thought I saw someone in the shadows. I don't even know, if it was her."

"Ah." That seemed somewhat dodgy. She had stopped looking at him and instead let her eyes roam through the room as if searching for something. Very strange. And didn't Gwen mention something about Morgana warning her of–

"Is that _gold?"_ She sounded quite incredulous.

"Huh?"

Morgana kneeled down and picked up one of the coins.

The king's words echoed in his mind. _You will not speak of this_. "Oh! _That._ Well, that's just–"

From her crouched position she spotted the purse under the bed and took a look inside.

"Err... I can explain! Those, those are..."

His most likely nonsensical explanation was cut short as Morgana stated with a smirk: "So Uther paid you a visit too, I see." She had apparently recovered from whatever had bothered her or she had gotten her courtly facade back into place, because that sounded way too smug.

"Err... Mhm... You see..." Realizing he was only drawing out the inevitable he admitted: "Yes. Yes he did."

"Is this payment in advance?" She collected the few coins that had spilled out and placed them back into the pouch.

"Advance? I got the felling it was some kind of injury compensation. As well as a way to keep me quiet, if you know what I mean."

Her brow furrowed. "He... didn't say anything about the patrol?"

"What patrol?"

She sighed heartily as she sat down at the table. "If they don't ask you, they could at least tell you in advance." She shook her head as she handed him his money. "Yesterday at dinner Arthur was having a fit because he wants to accompany his knights on their patrol next week."

"What? But his arm is still broken! Bones don't fix themselves in a week!"

"I'm aware. Arthur is aware. And Uther is aware too. So the two argued the whole evening until they found a compromise: Arthur is allowed his little fun-time in the woods, but only if he is accompanied by _someone,_ who can continue his treatment on the way."

Merlin stared at her. "... You're kidding."

"I'm afraid, I am not."

"The king wants _me_ to join the patrol."

"Indeed."

"To ride into bandit-infested territory."

"Possibly."

"Only because the prat is bored."

"Precisely."

Merlin groaned loudly as he let himself fall onto his cot. "I can't believe this."

"Believe it or not, he will drag you out of the city by the ear, if he must. So you should focus on recovering or that trip will be hell."

"It will be hell either way. Are you saying, I have to constantly be at the back and call of that dollop head for... for... how long?"

"Give or take... about two weeks."

"TWO WEEKS?! URG! Just kill me now and spare me the trouble."

"Come on. It won't be all bad. I've heard Arthur is considering to appoint Sir Ewan for it as well."

"Really? Well that's something, I guess. But what can one reasonable person do, if they are surrounded by senseless brutes?"

"They may be brutes, but... You know what? You should try and talk to Sir Leon."

"The guy, that's always giving these dull reports about the armory's inventory?"

"Exactly. He may be a bit stiff, but he's reasonable enough."

"Mhm... Well if he comes with your recommendation, I'll give it a try."

"Good. Well... I have to go now. Make sure to get some rest."

"I will." He had no objection at all. He was after all still tired and had only awoken because of his unexpected visitors. As Morgana stood up and posed to leave Merlin took another look at the purse in his hands. She was almost out of the door, when Merlin halted her: "Ehm, Morgana... Before you go, could you do me a favor?"

"What is it?"

He held up the pouch full of shiny gold coins, that really didn't fit his station at all. "Could you maybe change these into something a bit more sensible?" 

* * *

Fortunately Gaius truly deserved his position as court physician. So Merlin was thankfully blessed with a swift recovery. Soon he was able to return to his duties as well as his newfound hobby: His garden.

After the Valiant incident the king had gifted him a small plot of land within the walls of the citadel. Apparently it used to be some kind of private garden space for some noble family, that had long since perished. Ever since the patch of greenery had fallen into disrepair. When Merlin came here for the first time, the place had been properly reclaimed by Mother Nature. It was overrun with weeds and the little stone paths were overgrown to the point that you couldn't even tell where they led. The most impressive of the rampantly growing plants however were the roses. The garden might once have held a multitude of flowers, but they all got snuffed out by the thorny beauties, which had managed to escape their designated beds and crawled all over the place and high upon the adjacent walls.

Getting those under control had proven to be quite a challenge for Merlin – especially since he was reluctant to cut them in the first place. They were just so beautiful and almost seemed to glow in defiance for the long neglect they had endured. They looked so prideful and full of life... Harming them somehow hurt Merlin at his core. So he had settled to let them climb on the walls and only cut them down where they compromised the paths too much to walk on them. With the weeds gone the result was a stunning pathway of colorful roses that lined the way to the deeper part of the garden, where he had ploughed some of the earth to plant a big variety of herbs.

"The valerian is coming along nicely, but the yarrow worries me." Gaius evaluated the herbs Merlin had harvested critically. "I don't think I can use these for any tonics. It would lessen their potency."

"Mhm..." Merlin inspected the arrangement of plants in front of him. He had gathered practically every herb that had even a slight chance of surviving in Camelot's climate. While most of them grew into magnificent plants that would be very useful for them, others seemed to barely hold onto their lives. Point in case: The yarrow. It looked miserable. The petals had a dull color and started to shrivel at the ends.

Gaius once again skimmed the contents of the herbology book Merlin had borrowed from Sir Geoffrey. He wasn't satisfied with what he found. "I don't understand. According to this, the environment should be perfect for them. It's getting a lot of sun, we water it as described and the soil is well-drained. Why is its growth so compromised?"

Merlin carefully lifted one of the blossoms. "I think, it doesn't like the parsley."

"Why do you think that? The parsley is growing more than five feet away and it's not shadowing them in any way. How would it even effect the yarrow from over there?"

"They just don't get along. The valerian doesn't like them either, but they can deal with it." Merlin started to dig up the plant as if he didn't have any doubt in his mind that the parsley was indeed the problem. "I'll try switching it with the sage. Then it can chatter with the rosemary all it wants and leave the yarrow in peace."

Gaius stared at his boy uncomprehendingly. "I think I misheard. Did you just say the parsley chatters?"

"It sure does. Way too noisy for the quiet types like yarrow." Merlin continued to dig up the parsley without a care in the world as if he hadn't just stated something utterly ridiculous.

"You're saying the herbs are talking to each other?" He was a little concerned now. Hearing the skeptical question behind him Merlin stopped his work and turned around to his mentor.

"Well, they're not 'talking' per se, but how else would you call it?" He looked up at him with such a big-eyed genuine look on his face.

"Merlin, I have no idea what you are talking about."

The boy's forehead wrinkled in confusion. "Don't you feel it? The... noise, no... humming? Presence? ... Aura maybe?"

"I don't think I do."

"Oh." He looked down at the small plant in his hands and caressed one of its leaves. "I thought everyone felt it..."

Once again Gaius marveled at the riddle that was his apprentice. The way magic flowed through him as naturally as blood had intrigued him from the start. Apparently it helped him see his surroundings in a different way too. The old man felt a little jealous of the boy's unique view of the world. It seemed just so full of wonder. And the ease with which his magic danced around him... It was odd times like this that Gaius was reminded of the old legends. Of prophecies about one true warlock, that didn't _have_ magic, but _was_ magic itself... The destined warlock, that would– The old man shook himself.

Surely not. Not his boy. How could such a great destiny rest on these small shoulders?

As he got out of his musings he noticed that Merlin was still cradling the parsley in his hands and stared at it sadly. Gaius kneeled down beside him. "What's going on inside that head of yours, hm?"

"I don't know." Gaius didn't press him for more. He just sat with him until Merlin continued on his own. "It's just... If even something like this is abnormal..." He took a deep breath. "How can I hide myself, if I don't even know what to hide, Gaius? What exactly am I, if I can't even recognize what is normal and what isn't? Nature comforted me with her silent hum ever since I can remember. It's all around us. In the flowers, the trees, the grass and the animals. Every little insect carries this... this spark with it. If you can't feel that at all... am I even human? What if they were right? What if I _am_ a mon–"

Merlin couldn't finish that sentence, because he suddenly got pulled into a hug. His face got buried in the fabric of Gaius' robe as the physician stated: "Don't ever think that, Merlin." He wrapped his arms around the boy and held him tight. "You may be a little special. But that doesn't mean, you can't be human. You're you and you always will be. Don't listen to those, that don't even try to understand how you feel. If someone ever claims that chatting with flowers is evil, then shame on them. It sounds like a wonderful gift to me."

Merlin closed his eyes and drew in a long, unsteady breath before he released it slowly. Once he tried to worm himself out of the embrace, Gaius let him go hesitantly. Merlin quickly wiped away the single tear, that had escaped his eyes and carefully picked up the parsley from the ground before he mumbled:

"M'not _chatting_ with them."

Gaius watched the slight red, that colored the boy's cheeks as he turned his attention back to the herbs and proceeded to replant the parsley at its new spot. The old man smiled mischievously.

"No? So you're just eavesdropping in on them?"

"What? No! Why would I even–"

"Well now I'm curious. What are they talking about then?"

"Oh, just the usual. The weather. Or how pretty their petals are coming out this year. Or ' _Ew! You've got aphids! Stay away from me.'_ No, Gaius! I have no idea, what they're talking about!"

The physician laughed heartily at the indignant pout on the boy's face. That was much better.

"I sure hope they will tell you immediately, if aphids are on the run. It would be a shame, if all of this got infected. Most of these are fairly good quality. If we wouldn't have use of them ourselves, they would fetch a good price on the market."

"You think so?" Merlin seemed relieved that his mentor had dropped the topic. "Maybe I could expand this and get us some extra income."

"You could try. And if you don't manage to sell them, we could still dry them for ourselves. It's never bad to have some in reserve."

"Alright then!" Merlin rolled up his sleeves and grabbed his shovel.

"Not so fast, young man. First I need some yarrow, that I can actually use. So you will go out and gather some the old fashioned way."

"But it's already getting late. Do I have to get it today?"

"What exactly do you plan for me to do, if Sir Hampfrey's son comes down with a fever again while you are out on patrol?"

"Ok, ok! I'll go. But could you maybe water the rest of the plants? So it doesn't get too late? I'd rather ride out rested..."

"Of course, Merlin." Gaius proceeded towards the water bucket, while Merlin quickly put away his gardening tools. Seems like he didn't want to waste any more time to get to the forest. For having been reluctant to go in the first place he seemed suspiciously eager all of a sudden. The goddess knew what that boy got up to in these woods all day. He happily skipped along the path that led out of the garden, but before he could leave, Gaius couldn't resist to call out to him:

"Oh, and watch the time, will you? I don't want you to come back late at night again. So please don't gossip _too_ much with the trees."

"I am NOT gossiping with any trees!"

Merlin left with an annoyed huff, but there wasn't any actual heat in it. Gaius chuckled as he started to water the precious herbs. He might just be seeing things, but the yarrow looked healthier already.

* * *

_Hi Mom,_

_I hope this letter finds you in good health. I'm sorry for not writing you sooner. Things have been busy around here, but I am well. (Don't listen to Gaius. Any and all stories about poison are highly exaggerated. I'm fine! Don't worry.)_

_So somehow I got roped into becoming some kind of personal physician to the prince, which he is in dire need of. You wouldn't believe how often that man get's injured! It's as if he's trying to give me more work every day. Now it was actually decided, that I have to accompany him on his patrol, because he can't be bothered to stay inside the castle walls for more than two weeks at a time. He still has a broken arm, for heaven's sake! I swear, the idiot is more stubborn than Margie's old plow horse!_

_Anyway_ – _If you think, this position with all the additional work would come with a raise, you are sorely mistaken. The prat just takes all my efforts for granted. But. Since I keep saving the ~~clotpole's~~ prince's life, the king rewarded me with some extra coin. I don't really need it here, so I thought you would have more use of it. With this maybe you could finally afford your own cow? Then you could make all the pudding you want without relying on the goodwill of old man Simons!_

_So how are things back home? I hope Will isn't giving you too much of a hard time. If the goat is becoming too much of a nuisance, just tell me. I'll smite some sense into him._

_Miss you dearly,_

_Merlin._

_PS: I forgot to mention, that I am growing things myself now. I've gotten a little garden filled with many beautiful flowers. I'm using it to cultivate some vegetables and a lot of herbs for our potions. You would love it. There are roses everywhere! I'll have to show you around, if you ever visit Camelot._

Hunith smiled to herself as she closed the letter and carefully placed it inside the chest with her little keepsakes. Oh, how she missed her little falcon. But life in the city seemed to do him well, so she tried not to worry too much. The letter had come with a tightly bound leather purse. Curiously she opened it and gasped at the silver coins inside. One cow? With this she could build a fully equipped farm! She shook her head in disbelief.

Well, now she had to make sure, that she had everything ready for the most delicious pudding she could muster, whenever her boy came to visit.

* * *

After the frankly embarrassing performance of the king's guards in the 'chalice incident' Arthur had decided to search through his ~~quite chaotic~~ perfectly organized petition papers. He remembered some complaints from the guard captain that he ~~had forgotten about~~ hadn't gotten the time to address yet. Turns out the man had tried to get his attention at an increasingly desperate rate until finally he seemed to have given up a few months ago. The prince skimmed over the ~~quite resigned~~ last three letters (out of the twenty seven he had found) before he decided to go and talk to the man in person instead.

To say that the captain was elated would be an understatement.

In the end it had taken a five hour discussion to listen to all his woes and to convince him that Arthur was indeed on the case and _yes_ things would change now and _really_ , yes he would help him to get the men into shape.

After that ordeal Arthur was half convinced that the man must be exaggerating to cosmic levels because _surely_ things couldn't be _that bad_. If things were as dire as he made them out to be, someone would have brought this to his attention ages ago. ... At least he hoped so. Anyway Arthur had promised him new funds as well as his personal involvement as soon as he returned from patrol.

Which reminded him that he still had to inform Sir Ewan of his plans. So he went to the knight's quarters hoping the man had already returned for the day. He was in luck as he encountered him on the way.

"Ah, Sir Ewan. I wanted to speak with you. Do you have a moment?"

"Of course, sire. What do you need of me?"

"The northern patrol has been scheduled for tomorrow. Since you had a while to recover and got back into form, I believe it is time to reinstate you for your duties. Sir Cadoc has been covering for your absence long enough. I am aware however that this is a bit of a short notice. Will you be able to accompany us?"

"Certainly, sire! I'm always ready to move out in case of emergencies and am happy to... finally..." The knight trailed off as his gaze moved away from Arthur and went over his shoulder instead. Confused the prince turned around, only to find Gaius approaching them.

"Please excuse me, sire. But may I borrow Sir Ewan for a moment?"

Arthur noticed the knight tense up significantly beside him. Curious. For some reason Ewan's voice seemed to actually waver a little: "Ah, Gaius. Can it wait? I need to prepare for patrol..."

"That's even more reason to examine you for any residual effects of the poison."

Arthur turned to his obviously nervous knight. "Sir Ewan", he drawled with a clear warning in his voice, "You told me, you had recovered fully from that incident."

Ewan gulped. So that's what worried him. He had hidden his health issues and feared that Gaius would deem him unfit to attend the patrol. While it was a stupid thing to do, Arthur was quite sympathetic. He was already pondering on his scolding for the knight, when Gaius interrupted his thoughts.

"He has recovered well, sire. I merely wish to do a follow up examination since the poison was magical in nature. I would rather err on the side of caution."

Arthur eyed the tense knight suspiciously for a moment before he relented. "Alright then, examine him. But I want to get a report of your findings."

"Certainly, sire."

This settled things for him. He was about to leave Sir Ewan in Gaius' capable hands, but noticed the man still looked quite spooked. Strange. Actually, he looked as if he was about to run and flee from the physician. Maybe the poison had indeed acted up again. That wouldn't do. He gave Ewan a hearty clap on the back, which properly startled the man.

"Come on, Ewan. Gaius doesn't bite now, does he? If you are indeed healthy, there's nothing to be afraid of, is there?" He grinned widely, gave him another pat and turned to leave. He tried not to laugh at the dismayed look Ewan had given him. Seems like he needed to inform Sir Cadoc that he had to jump in for one more time.

* * *

Sir Ewan hesitated before the door to the physician's chambers. For almost a week he had managed to avoid ~~Gauis~~ the sorcerer. It still didn’t fit inside his head. And he didn’t know what to do about it. By all means he should report what he had witnessed, but… What he had seen that day didn’t look evil. But it was magic and magic was evil. There was no doubt about that, but still… He was so confused. He had tried to ignore it and forget all about it, but the sorcerer seemingly didn’t want to bet on that. Was he finally making his move? Would he get rid of the only witness? He tried to imaging the old man as a wicked scheming sorcerer, but all he could see was the kind old man, he had known practically all his life. He signed. All this brooding would get him nowhere. He entered the physician’s chambers warily. Gaius was already inside and removed the kettle from the little fire inside the hearth.

"I'm sorry for misleading Arthur into thinking you still had issues with your health. I will of course give him a full report stating you to be fighting fit." The old man pulled some leaves out of various cupboards and added them to the still boiling water.

Meanwhile Ewan stood awkwardly in front of the door and watched every of Gaius' movements with a piercing intensity: How he pulled out two seemingly ancient cups from a basin in the corner. How he slowly filled them to the brim and placed them on the table – Each in front of the only two chairs that weren't cluttered with a multitude of books and herbs. How he sat down on one of them and beckoned him to take a seat as well.

When he still didn't dare to move, Gaius gave a weak sigh. "I know, you must have doubts about me right now. I will not force you to sit or take anything from me. I just ask you to listen to what I have to say and then build your own opinions afterwards. If you decide to alert the king, I will not stop you."

The old man gave off a calming aura that seemed to radiate throughout the room. But maybe that was just the relaxing smell of all the herbs. Or a spell to lure him in… These chambers had always felt save to Ewan, but he knew now that he had been naïve to never even question all the strange apparitions and obscure tinctures inside. Everything here now fell under his scrutiny. He gazed at all the clutter that filled up the entire room, willing it to reveal its wickedness to him… And yet… And yet it all looked so utterly normal to him. The heaps of books were just as dusty as always, the potions still ordered as unorganized as he remembered and the herbs were still drying on the lines just like he had seen it the very first time he had sprained his ankle as a child. Nothing had changed and yet… everything had. All these years a sorcerer had resided right in the heart of Camelot and that thought scared him like no other. But then he looked back to the old man at the table and saw no sorcerer. He saw Gaius. Gaius, who slowly started to slump inside his chair as he looked more and more dejected. The old man closed his eyes as if he was resigning himself to his fate.

  
Would he really not stop him? If he were to report him to the king, Ewan had no doubt he would be bound to a pyre by next sunrise. The knight shuddered. The pyre was supposed to rid them of evil sorcerers that threatened the kingdom, not kind physicians that spent all their waking hours healing the sick. And that was exactly what Gaius was doing. That’s what he'd always been doing. At least as far as he knew it…

  
The young knight once again looked at the physician and decided that after all these years the man at least deserved to be heard out. So after another moment of indecision, the knight took a seat. Gaius smiled thankfully at him and seemed to gather his thoughts. He blew over the surface of his steaming cup and took a first sip before he started his story.

"Twenty years ago, before magic got outlawed, I was known not just as a physician, but as a _healer_ as well. Back then people didn't differentiate these words as much as they do now. You see, the professions were woven into each other. While it wasn't technically necessary to study magic in order to become a proficient physician, it certainly helped to have at least a spark of magic since it provides many more options for successful treatment. While my passion always leaned more towards the scientific aspects of medicine, my mentor saw fit to school all his apprentices in the magical healing arts as well. As such I am learned in both: The mundane as well as arcane methods of healing."

Sir Ewan watched as the old man carefully took another sip before he continued: "When King Uther... _abruptly_ outlawed a lot of our practices... My... My _colleagues_ had to flee or face punishment according to the new law." It was hard to miss the slight shaking in the old man’s hands as he held onto the cup intensely. "Seeing that every healer in Camelot had 'dabbled in the dark arts' at some point, the king decided to pardon a single physician, if he agreed to swear himself off his 'wretched practices'."

Gaius slowly put his cup back down. He took a deep breath.

"That day I have sworn to never use magic again."

He stared deep into the eyes of the knight. "For twenty years I have held onto that oath without fail. For twenty years I have watched as my friends and kin were slaughtered for nothing but healing those in need. For twenty years I have restrained myself and let my patients die even though I knew it was within my power to save them."

While there was a spark of fear in the old man's eyes, he was the picture of determination when he stated: "As you know, I have broken my oath. And if there is one thing I regret about it, it's that I didn't do it sooner."

Gaius leaned back in his seat. He had said what he wanted to say. Now it was up to the man before him to decide his fate. Sir Ewan had averted his eyes after the physician's declaration. He couldn't bear to look at the man he had thought to have known practically all his life. Instead he was gazing into the cup in front of him as if it held all the answers in the universe. He watched the calmly drifting leaves inside it, while a storm seemed to rage on his inside. So many different thoughts waged war inside him. Thoughts of magic, of the king, of the physician, of Merlin's deadly still body... of the healing he had witnessed, of truths and lies he had been told since childhood. His mind was a mess. He desperately tried to sort through it, to find and hold onto one strand that he knew to be true:

"I have known you as far back as I can remember, Gaius. When I got that terrible cough as a child, it was you who nursed me back to health. After I broke my leg from that silly jump of the stable's roof, you scolded me even fiercer than my own parents. For every cut I received in my training you were the one to sew me back together. And the poison from that snake–"

He halted and gulped heavily before he continued. "I cannot deny that the thought of magic makes me... _uneasy_ , but..." He finally looked back up again. "I owe you my life many times over."

Yes. This was the truth. He knew this to be true at least. If he couldn't trust Gaius, who else could he put his trust in? And if it wasn't for his magic– good magic– _healing_ magic, Merlin would be... The thought sickened him. His resolve hardened.

"I see no evil in healing a boy that has dedicated his life to the healing arts as well." With a resolute swipe of his hand Sir Ewan grabbed his cup and downed the tea in one go.

"Your secret is safe with me."

* * *

The prince slowed his horse to a stop and signaled for the rest of the party to do the same.

"We will make camp here for the night."

Everyone unmounted and proceeded to put up their tents. Arthur announced the guard rota for the night and apparently that information somehow included who would gather firewood, who had to start a fire, who had to hunt for some dinner and who was on cooking duty, because all the knights got to work without further instruction. Everyone did their part with practiced ease earned through many shared travels. Well... Everyone... with one exception.

Within the busy ongoings of the camp stood one very misplaced Merlin. He had put up his sleeping roll and didn't know, what to do now. He had rebandaged Arthur’s arm at their last short rest, so that was already taken care of. Maybe he could gather some water? But Sir Ewan had already left with the water skins... Or he could gather some firewood! But Sir Darek and Hampfrey were already hauling branches to the center of the camp… Maybe he could feed the horses? But Sir Leon was already on the job... Merlin huffed and looked around for something to do. He wasn't used to just standing around while other people worked. Not like a certain entitled prat over there. No, there must be something left for him to do... He glanced back to Sir Leon, who was done with the feeding and now continued to groom the horses. Aha! That would take a while, if he were to do it alone. Merlin quickly hurried over and grabbed a spare brush before this task was snatched away from him too.

"Mind if I gave you a hand, Sir Leon?"

"No, not at all. I'm thankful for the help."

Merlin mentally cheered as he approached the horse that stood closest to him. It was a beautiful stallion – Proud and strong. But it seemed a bit unnerved, so Merlin reached out to give it some affection and calm it down a bit.

"No! Merlin that's–"

Merlin looked back to a very startled Sir Leon, who had apparently tried to warn him of something, but was now openly gaping at him. The horse meanwhile snuggled his head into his palm and demanded he continue his petting. The boy happily obliged and started to groom the horse in earnest. Hesitantly the knight approached the two, but for some reason the stallion didn't like that at all.

"Watch out, Sir. You're startling him."

Leon stood there rooted to the spot and watched as Arthur's proud and feisty stallion, which usually attacked anyone who dared come too close, happily nudged the boy until he relented and offered him an apple from his bag. He stood there in awe as Merlin scratched the horse's snout and didn't suffer any repercussions whatsoever.

"Unbelievable."

"Huh?" The boy's head whipped to him. "What is?" His tone sounded oddly defensive.

"It's just... Usually Hengroen doesn't let anyone remotely close to himself except the prince."

"Oh. Well, err... I'm good with animals."

"Yes, I can see that."

Apparently Merlin's own borrowed mare was interested in his apples too, because she had managed to loosen her (admittedly not very well tied) reigns and came over only to start nibbling at his bag. Hengroen however was not amused that someone dare steal _his_ treats and neighed in warning. When he moved to bite the offending mare, Merlin stepped in between them and briskly pointed his finger at the aggressively stomping stallion.

"Oi! Would you behave yourself!" Upon feeling another tug at his bag he turned around. "That goes for both of you!"

Leon hadn't known it was possible for a horse to look affronted – or chastised for that matter. Once both animals had calmed down Merlin split his last apple in two and offered one half to each of them before he tied his horse to the same tree as Arthur's. A feat Leon would have deemed impossible until yesterday since Hengroen didn’t let other horses close either. But somehow he seemed to grudgedly tolerate the mare beside him without trying to bite her. Once Merlin moved on to the next horse, Leon managed to stop gaping at him and got back to work as well. They worked quietly for a while.

The knight couldn't help but feel intrigued by the boy. He had of course seen him often enough for the past few weeks with him being present at each training session the prince attended. But they had never spoken in person before. This would be a good chance to learn more about the boy.

"So... Have you done this often?"

"Not really. The only horse I ever tended to before was the old plow horse one of our neighbors owns. But I tell you, that beast is way more stubborn than this Hengroen over there. It nearly bit my ear off the first time I tried to feed it."

"That sounds... dangerous.” And was exactly what he had expected to happen just now. “I'm surprised you even tried to approach another horse in your life." Because he had certainly never dared to touch Hengroen again after _the incident_ , as he had dubbed it. And That was almost six years ago.

"Well I can hardly judge all horses in the world after meeting only one stubborn old ass." He affectionately rubbed the flank of the horse he was working on. "Also... _most_ animals tend to calm down around me. Apparently I have a very trusting face." He gave him a cheeky grin that felt like it could brighten up the whole clearing. Leon couldn't help but smile back. Then the boy's smile turned into a frown as he irritably sniffed the air.

"What the hell is that smell?"

A second later the smell reached the knight too. "Ah, that would be dinner. Seems like they managed to catch some rabbits."

_"Dinner?_ That–" Merlin's head whipped towards the camp fire, where Sir Ewan was currently fulfilling his cooking duty. He blinked at what he was seeing in disbelief before he turned back to Leon. "Excuse me, Sir", he handed him his brush, "but I need to save a meal."

Leon watched as the boy purposely strode over to the fire and indignantly exclaimed: _"What the hell_ are you doing to that poor rabbit?!"

Ewan startled because he suddenly got yelled at from behind, but quickly calmed down as he realized it was just Merlin. "I'm cooking it. Don't know, if you've heard about it, but it's called _stew_." Multiple knights chuckled at this.

_"That",_ he gestured to the hard to define slug in the pot, "may be many things, my friend, but it's _not_ a stew. Give me that ladle!"

He didn't wait for permission and simply grabbed it from Ewan's stunned hands. He got multiple raised eyebrows for his rude behavior, but didn't notice it since he was too busy trying to turn the content of the pot into something remotely edible. Luckily some of his medical herbs also made for some excellent food seasonings, so he was able to give it some actual flavor. It didn't take long until the whole campsite was filled with a delicious smell. Tempted by the mouthwatering fragrance Ewan tried to scoop himself a mouthful of the meal, but Merlin swatted his hand with the ladle.

"Oi! It's not finished yet."

Most knights laughed at Ewan's expense for getting scolded like a wee boy, but Sir Darek growled under his breath at the continued disrespect. Most of them had finished their tasks by now, so they came together and sat down around the fire. Once everyone was seated Merlin gave the meal one final stir before he filled the first bowl.

"Now _this_..." _,_ he shoved it into Ewan's hands, "This is a stew."

Ewan hesitated and stared at the bowl uncertainty. It wasn't like he didn't trust Merlin's cooking, but... He glanced at the prince, who was seating across from him. Arthur seemed to be quite amused by the whole situation. He gave him a subtle sign to go on. Apparently he was ok with him getting the first serving today. Well, no time like the present! He took his spoon and was about to dig in, when...

"What impudence is this?!" Sir Darek had obviously not caught onto the prince's little gesture. "Fist you disregard all decorum in front of a knight and now you completely disregard his highness?!"

Merlin's eyes were blown wide in shock. He clearly didn't understand what he had done wrong. The boy quickly sought out the prince, but refocused on Sir Darek as the imposing man got unpleasantly close into his personal space. Fortunately the nonchalant voice of Prince Arthur stopped the knight in his track:

"Peace, Sir Darek. Considering _Merlin_ was the one to cook this meal, I would gladly offer the _honor_ of the first serving to Sir Ewan." He gave the boy a pointed look. A sense of understanding crossed his features. The prince continued with a smirk: "Who knows, if it is even edible? I'd rather not choke on his poor cooking skills."

Now that was an excuse, if Ewan had ever heard one, because this stew smelled amazing. But it definitely managed to diffuse the situation as the disgruntled Sir Darek got back to his seat without further argument.

"Are you doubting my stew?"

Of course Merlin couldn't just let the insult to his cooking slide in favor of saving himself some trouble. Ewan resisted the urge to groan. The boy quickly scooped up another serving and thrust it in Arthur's direction.

He squinted his eyes at the prince. "Don't you dare disrespect the stew."

Arthur seemed quite befuddled by that for a moment. Then he squinted right back at him. "Oh really, _Mer_ lin? You sure, it's safe? Do you even know half the things you threw in there?"

"What's that? Are you actually scared of a little soup? Want me to test it for you again?"

Arthur's eyes widened slightly at that. Ewan wasn't sure if it was because of the challenge to his courage or if he remembered the boy falling to the ground with the chalice still in hand. Ewan certainly did. Either way he grabbed the bowl and grunted "That won't be necessary." before he shoveled the first portion into his mouth. His eyes widened again, but only for a split second. He put the spoon down slowly.

"So?" Merlin was awaiting his feedback with his arms crossed.

"It's... not completely inedible."

Merlin raised his eyebrow at that. Ewan decided it was finally time to start with his own bowl. After the first mouthful he couldn't help but let out a small moan. Merlin smirked. Ewan didn't care. He just wolved down the rest of the meal. This got the attention of Sir Leon, who held out his own bowl.

"May I try some too, please?"

"Of course, Sir. How could I deny you a meal, if you ask this politely?" He said so while giving Arthur a look and proceeded to fill Leon's bowl up to the brim. The knight looked slightly uncomfortable with receiving a bigger portion than his prince, but quickly lost his reservations as he got a taste of the delicious meal Merlin had produced. You couldn't compare it to the castle's kitchens of course, but Merlin's food had a homely feel to it. It was rough, but rich in flavor and a far cry from anything they had ever eaten on patrol. Heck, this was better than most of the food one would be served at a tavern and Merlin had done it with a bare minimum of ingredients.

Seeing the usually stiff Sir Leon loose his decorum over some stew, the other knights were quickly following suit. Merlin happily handed out the food and was especially pleased when Arthur asked for seconds. (Though he didn't dare look the boy in the eye while doing so.) Soon enough there was nothing left and everyone relaxed around the fire.

* * *

The mood was unusually chipper. After a good meal and a good laugh it felt less like a patrol and more like a little hunting trip, Arthur noticed. He had scarcely seen his knights in such good spirits. He watched in something akin to awe as Merlin apparently retold a story from his childhood and captivated those sitting around him with his wide gestures and an even wider grin.

  
He had been worried that the bumbling fool would manage to get himself killed, because he seemed to offend every noble he crossed paths with. But a few hiccups aside he integrated well — at least with the slightly less conservative knights. Especially Sir Ewan and surprisingly Sir Leon seemed to have taken a liking to the boy. Having delivered what appeared to be the punch line to a joke, if the hollering laughter was anything to go by, Merlin’s eyes met with his own.

  
Realizing that he was staring, he tried to get back to the conversation, which was happening around him. It seemed like he hadn't missed much since Sir Hampfrey was still gushing about his sons:

"… So I gifted him his first training sword and he hasn't let go of it since! Day in and day out he's practicing his swings and I think Henry will take it up too. He's always watching intently whenever Thomas is out training."

Arthur decided to insert himself back into the conversation. So he stated solemnly: "Good. Very good indeed. We are in dire need of strengthening our ranks. Will they be ready to take the knights test in about a week's time?" The idea was of course laughable since the little Thomas wasn't even old enough to become a squire and Henry was hardly more than a baby. His words had the desired effect of making the proud father sputter and the others laugh.

Arthur couldn't remember when he had last felt this relaxed. He leaned back on his tree stump and stretched his limps contentedly. That was when he heard it: A snapped tree branch behind him. He turned around just in time to see the tip of a crossbow bolt aimed at himself. Only thanks to his reflexes acquired through a lifetime of training did he manage to maneuver out of the bolt's trajectory. Instead of piercing his heart the projectile only scraped his arm.

"TO ARMS!", he bellowed out as a group of bandits broke through the tree line.

He didn't need to look behind him to know, all his men had instantly drawn their swords and gotten into defensive positions. He did a quick headcount before the first man reached him. They seemed to be outnumbered... but only slightly. As long as there weren't any reinforcements, they should be able to pull through. He just hoped there weren't more archers hidden behind those trees... Just as he crossed blades with his first opponent, something darted past him and only narrowly misses his head.

"Shit." That had come from the opposite direction.

Arthur swallowed down further curses and engaged with the first bandit. Despite his compromised arm, he dominated the man. At least they weren’t particularly skilled fighters. He quickly disposed of the first two bandits before him and tried to get a read on the situation. Most of his men stood their ground and had managed to get into proper position. Only on the farther side of the camp there seemed to be a disruption in the formation. He had to stop his quick analysis in favor of stabbing the next opponent. Another quick glance to the other side revealed the problem to him: Merlin. Fuck. He hadn't thought of this. Merlin was bumbling around in a small circle of knights, who more or less had to take turns protecting the defenseless boy. Another bolt flew past him. At least the archers had terrible aim. But they would hit eventually.

"Ewan, Bors! You take Merlin! Hampfrey, Darek! Break through, get those archers!"

With a mighty roar he charged at the enemies before him and thus opened a path for Hampfrey to get through. Fighting three opponents at the same time proved to be more of a challenge, but the title of Camelot's Champion wasn't for nothing. He lost himself in the whirl of steal, blood and death, which had become so familiar to him. Only once there was nothing left to fight on his side of the camp did he manage to glance behind him. To his surprise Sir Darek was still there, but...

"Where's Merlin?!" He got back in formation with the others.

It was Ewan, who answered between slashes: "Darek couldn't break through, but Merlin slipped away at the chance. We couldn't stop him."

Arthur growled and fought even fiercer. At least Sir Hampfrey seemed to have taken care of the archers since the bolts had stopped coming for them. The bandits seemed to come to the same realization. Soon the remaining bandits signaled their retreat. As one they tugged tail and ran.

Breathing a sigh of relief Arthur took in the situation. Some men had suffered minor injuries, but none had gone down... Except Merlin and Sir Hampfrey were still missing. They should have rejoined them by now. He had a bad feeling about this.

"Hampfrey! Merlin! Where are you?"

"Here!" That was Merlin. Thank god. But he sounded pained and desperate. That couldn’t be good.

Arthur sprinted in the direction the cry had come from. As he broke through some undergrowth he almost fell over the body on the ground. One of the bandits had apparently been felled by a tree branch, but that wasn't what drew his attention. A few feet away Merlin was crouched over the unconscious form of Sir Hampfrey. Strangely Arthur could make out neither a slash wound nor a bloodied bolt, even though the space was littered in a multitude of projectiles. Some of which were stuck unusually deep inside some trees. Wait a second... There were so many bolts, but where was the crossbow? He looked around for other dead bandits, but didn't find any.

"What happened here?"

Merlin didn't look away from his patient, but answered none the less: "There were no archers. Only one sorcerer who made a handful of bolts fly around. When Hampfrey attacked him, he smashed him into a tree with magic. We need to get him back to Camelot."

"We can't abort the patrol over a little concussion."

"I'm _not_ worried about a concussion."

* * *

A concussion was the least of Merlin’s fears. He was desperately trying to get the knight into a position that wouldn't hurt him further. He needed to stabilize his back and neck somehow or else... Merlin mentally winced at the memory of the impact he had witnessed and the hair rising crunch that had echoed through the woods. Suddenly he was grabbed by the shoulder and yanked away from the man. First he thought a leftover bandit must have gotten him, but he was quickly corrected as he stared into the familiar face of an angry Sir Darek.

"Are you blind, boy? The prince has been injured!" He gestured to the little cut on Arthur's arm.

"Yes, I noticed. Now will you let me do my job, please sir?" He once again tried to reach for the slowly dying man. His face was quickly draining of color. Not good. He needed to stabilize him quickly or this would end very ugly. He got yanked away again.

"Not just blind. Daft then. The royal family is of much higher priority than a simple knight. You will attend to his highness first."

Sir Ewan approached and tried to calm his comrade down by gently putting his hand on the man's shoulder. "Calm down Darek, maybe he should–"

"Don't you dare!" He violently shrugged the hand off himself. "This insolent whelp is neglecting his duties to the crown!"

Arthur wanted to inform them that his injury was really just a scratch and not worth the trouble. Unfortunately Merlin was quicker to refute the offending knight.

"His royal highness will get over a tiny cut! Sir Hampfrey on the other hand might just loose control over his bodily functions. Permanently! So if you would just–"

"That is a risk every knight faces. To perish as the shield before his king is an honorable sacrifice indeed." His supercilious tone was dripping with self righteousness.

"Oh really?", Merlin got to his feet and instead turned to Sir Darek, "Then you want to tell his wife and her newborn son, that her husband will never be able to leave his bed again and that she will have to clean him every day for the rest of his miserable life, because he can't even take care of his own shit anymore. And all this because the physician wasn't allowed to help him. No no. He had to kiss the prince's ouchy better first! That is after all much more important than actually saving lives. So she should feel _honored_ , because he will always be remembered for his noble sacrifice. Definitely not by the way he can't help it to piss himself every few hours!"

Merlin was seething with rage. His whole body was taught and ready to spring into action. Arthur had never realized before that 'the boy' was actually a tad taller than himself. Now he hardly recognized him. There was a fire in his eyes that screamed danger to his instincts, which was ridiculous of course. But somehow he seemed much more imposing than all of the bandits they had just faced. Like a savage beast about to be unleashed...

When Merlin turned back to tend to the wounded knight, no one dared to stop him.

* * *

Merlin had insisted on riding with the unconscious knight. All the way back he had held him in a strange grip, which he had explained to be some method to straighten and stabilize the man's spine. No one fought him on it. The way back to Camelot had turned out blissfully uneventful. The men scattered as soon as they reached the citadel, but Arthur decided to stick to Merlin and helped him drag Sir Hampfrey to the physician's chambers.

Once they had entered the boy immediately started spewing things about traumas and spinal cords. Gaius' eyes widened as he asked question after question about where and how the man had been hit as well as what Merlin had done afterwards. They shot one strange term after the other while they prodded the man. Arthur didn't understand half of it, but stayed anyway. If the wound really was that critical, he owed it the man to at least watch over him till the end.

When Hampfrey's wife stormed in and refused to leave despite the physician's warnings, Arthur took it upon himself to order the feisty woman out:

"My lady, you mustn't interrupt the surgery. If you would please leave the–"

"That's my husband lying there! I have a right to be here!"

"While I understand your desire to stand by him... The physician needs his utmost concentration. So could you please–"

"I will not leave this room until my husband–"

"Lady Ludia! If you do not leave of your own volition, I will have you removed by–"

The woman saw red. How dare he! This was her husband's life on the line! In her anger she did something, which would go down in Camelot's history of gossip for centuries to come:

She took a swing and slapped the prince.

The room was silent for a beat. Her anger quickly turned to dread as she realized what she had just done.

Arthur made a strange sound that sounded half like a grunt and half like a growl as he turned back to the woman. His eyes were furious, but his voice was deceptively calm.

"Lady Ludia, you are endangering my knight's life by hindering the court physician at his work." She did indeed as Gaius and Merlin had both taken a moment to stare at the scene in shock. They quickly continued their work. Seeing that she had noticed this too, he continued: "You will leave these chambers and wait outside until we notify you of your husband's fate. If you refuse, I will remove you from this room personally."

The lady was still too shocked to formulate an answer. Instead she hastily gathered her dress and fled outside.

* * *

It was several hours later that Sir Hampfrey finally awoke. Gaius did some quick cognitive tests as well as a check for the movement of his limbs before he sent word for the lady. The woman entered timidly, but upon seeing her husband awake she broke into a sprint across the room to fling herself at him in relief. Realizing this Merlin quickly jumped into her way.

"Stop! You mustn't jostle him!"

When she barreled him out of the way, she was met with an angry prince. This got her to slow down.

Gaius tried to explain to her: "We only just managed to stabilize him. Any sudden movement might endanger his already strained nerve tissue."

Hearing this she deflated. She didn't know exactly what that meant, but it sounded grave. The lady nodded solemnly and slowly sat down beside her husband. She carefully took his hand in hers and drew soothing circles on it. "I'm sorry dear. I... I almost lost you and I, I..."

"Hush, my love", Sir Hampfrey's voice was weak and raspy, but full of compassion, "I'm here. They saved me. I was lucky."

"You call _this_ luck?" She tried for an indignant voice, but it did nothing to mask her tears.

"He was indeed." Gaius confirmed from the side. "If Merlin didn't happen to accompany this very patrol, he would have certainly perished out there in the woods. Even if by some miracle he had held out until they brought him back, he would have been paralyzed for life. Probably from his chin downwards."

Arthur and the lady both gasped. The prince had heard Merlin's rant about the man's possible fate, but he had thought he had exaggerated so they would leave him to his devices. But this... this would have been a fate worse than death. He shuddered at the implications.

Lady Ludia stared at her husband as she silently let her tears fall. "Could I... Could I have a moment with my husband... alone?"

"Of course. If something happens, I will be just outside the door", Gaius assured her.

The young men followed him outside. Once Merlin had closed the door behind him, he released a massive breath and slid down alongside the door until he slumped on the floor. Gaius kneeled beside him and put his hand on his shoulder.

"You did well, my boy."

Merlin hardly seemed to recognize the gesture as he just stared into the distance. Gaius gently shook him to get his attention. "You should get some rest."

The boy finally reacted, but his voice was unsettlingly hollow: "How could I possibly sleep right now?"

Arthur watched the interaction worriedly. He didn't like the look in Merlin's eyes. He had seen this look before… In the despondent gaze of warriors, that had seen too much in battle. With a start he realized that this had probably been the first true battle, Merlin had ever witnessed. He hadn't even thought about this! Even for trained knights the first fight to the death could be traumatic and the boy was a physician for heaven’s sake! Many young knights broke under the burden of witnessing senseless bloodshed and never recovered from it. To see the same haunted look on the face of the usually cheerful boy frightened him. He had to do something. Anything to distract him from his thoughts! So he spoke the first thing that came to his mind:

"Then at least eat something. You must be starving by now."

"I'm not–", as if on cue Merlin's stomach announced himself with a mighty growl. "... Maybe a bit."

Arthur made sure to let his voice sound as supercilious as possible: "That sounded like more than a bit, _Mer_ lin _."_

The boy's cheeks flushed a little. Good. So he continued: "Well, I could wolf down a whole boar on my own right now. So I say, let's go sneak something from the kitchens."

Merlin huffed. "Watch out, _sire_. We wouldn't want your chainmail to get even tighter now, would we?"

"Are you calling me _fat?!"_ Despite the seemingly outraged demeanor, the prince held out his hand.

"Wouldn't dream of it, _your_ _prattiness."_ And despite the sass, Merlin took it and let himself get dragged upwards.

And if the two didn't stop bickering even while they tried to steal something from right under Cook's nose, no one batted an eye at it. (Nevermind that Arthur could have just ordered something.) And if the usually stern and perceptive Cook heard about what had happened with the patrol and just so happened to look away at just the right moment... Well... That wasn't anyone's business now, was it?

* * *

"... and because of this I decided to postpone the rest of the patrol in favor of the survival of a loyal knight. As soon as the men got a good rest, we will ride out to cover the remaining territories."

Thus was the conclusion of Arthur's report to his father.

The king seemed to be unsure whether or not he should approve of his son's decision. He turned to Gaius instead: "How fares Sir Hampfrey? Will he survive?"

"We managed to stabilize his condition, sire. His life is out of danger for now, thanks to Merlin's quick thinking. But his injury is very severe indeed. I cannot say, if he will be able to return to his duties. In any case his road to recovery will be long and full of hardship."

"You say he survived because of the boy?"

"Yes. Especially with injuries as grave as these immediate treatment is paramount for survival as well as the later healing process. Even if surgery isn't immediately possible, some good first aid can be the deciding factor between life and death. Without Merlin's diagnosis and treatment Sir Hampfrey would have died in the woods."

"I see...", Uther pondered this over and glanced at his son, "So it would be advisable to have a physician out in the field."

Arthur realized where this was going and immediately remembered the hollow gaze in Merlin’s eyes. But his father would not be interested in the burden this would put on a mere peasant. Then he thought back to the screwed up formation that might have cost them their victory.

  
"Father, while I do see the benefits that a physician on patrol would bring, I must point out, that the boy knows nothing of combat. His presence greatly disrupted the flow of battle as he got in the way of our formations. He would constantly be in danger and we would have to spend our fighting power on defending him at every second."

Gaius also seemed more than worried about this turn of events, but he didn't dare oppose his king. He knew Uther long enough to recognize, when an idea had rooted itself in his mind. And this was about the wellbeing of his son. Uther would not step down from this.

"There are a multitude of formations designed for the protection of non combatants like ladies and dignitaries. If our knights are not versed in these, I demand you to rehearse them at once."

"But father–"

"No ‘but’, Arthur! From now on the boy will accompany you on any patrol you attend. See to it that our men are equipped to handle this arrangement. This is an order."

The prince also recognized a lost battle, when he saw one. So he swallowed down his other objections. "Yes, your highness."

* * *

Merlin was on his way back from the water pump. Despite the late hour he had decided to get the water now since he knew they would need it in the morning and the pump was usually quite overrun in the early hours. He hauled his heavy bucket along the stairs to the physician's chambers. Why were they even upstairs? This was so impractical. He deliberated to lessen his burden with a spark of magic. There was no one there after all. No one would notice, right?

He turned a corner and almost dropped his bucket in shock. Before him – with an unimpressed scowl on her face – stood the Lady Ludia. In his haste to catch the container, he spilled some of the water. It only missed the Lady by a hair's breath, but some of it splashed onto the hem of her dress. Oh no. _Ohhhh no._

He hastily lowered his eyes as his station demanded. Anything to calm the storm that was about to rip him apart. "My Lady! I'm sorry. I didn't see you. Please excuse me. I didn't hit you, did I? I'm sorry, it won't happen again!"

Merlin quickly rambled his apologies. He knew the woman was a force to be reckoned with. He knew it ever since the "Lin-Lin" incident with her second son. He still avoided their estate by a wide berth whenever he had to deliver something in the upper town. His memories of the past day didn't help the case either.

When the lady stayed strangely silent, Merlin dared a glance upwards to her. He shuddered as he saw the gritted teeth and clenched fists. The boy gulped and meekly awaited his fate. To his surprise the fists unclenched themselves and after a short pause Lady Ludia stated through not quite clenched teeth: "I feel the need to apologize to you."

Merlin didn't even manage the very articulate _"What?!",_ that danced on his tongue. All he could do was gape at her. She ignored his gob smacked expression and went on.

"It has come to my understanding that you were crucial to my husband’s survival. I have heard word of your fierce fight for his treatment and wanted to thank you for it."

Merlin finally found his voice: "It was nothing, my lady. I just did my job."

"Right."

There was an awkward silence after this. Merlin fidgeted with his bucket as he wondered if the conversation was over. Technically, according to his trusty companion ‘Royal customs and noble norms’, he wasn't allowed to leave without being dismissed, but his arms we're getting tired and truthfully... so was he. Fortunately the woman saved him from his impending break of protocol.

"My little boy seems to tire himself out quite easily."

"Huh?" Merlin blinked at the sudden change of topic.

"I fear he might be coming down with something."

"Er... Ok. I will inform Gaius of this then. He should–"

"That won't be necessary." She pointly interrupted him. "Thomas has implored in me, that your remedies are more effective than his. So you should check on him from time to time."

"Err... Sure. I will take a look at him tomorrow."

"Very well then. I wish you a pleasant evening." The Lady gracefully gathered her slightly wet skirt and briskly marched down the stairs.

Merlin stared after her. "What just happened?"


	8. Noble of Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus continues my unofficial quest to make every chapter longer than the one before. Why does this keep happening? I feel like I never get my chapters finished. >.<  
> Another random thing I noticed: Have I ever written a chapter without at least one raised eyebrow? I don't think so! x'D

The moon was hidden behind thick clouds in the dark night sky. The usual hustle of the busy market place was long gone since the people had gone to sleep hours ago. Only the occasional torchlight of a patrolling guard brightened the empty streets. But despite appearances the guards weren't the only men walking through town. A figure in a dark cloak quietly moved between the buildings. The person skillfully dodged all the guards on his way to the lower town. He made it through almost the entirety of Camelot until finally his luck seemed to run out when he crossed paths with one of them. He quickly sidestepped into an alleyway to avoid detection.

Arthur pulled his hood deeper into his face. It wouldn't do if he got recognized now.

He held his breath as the guard came closer. A step. Then another. And another. And then the man went past him without a sideways glance. Arthur released his breath. Not in relief, no. In frustration. He had effectively managed to sneak through the whole city without getting noticed even once. And he wasn't even using his knowledge about the patrol routes and shift changes! He wasn't even trying, for heaven's sake! Incompetence only went so far. This had to stop. Tomorrow he would route up the guards and wip them into shape. This was straight out embarrassing. He got dragged out of his musings as a stern voice called from behind him:

"Who goes there?!"

Finally! Could it be that there was at least one capable man in the king's guard? He would give the man a raise, he decided – whoever it was. Arthur whirled around with much satisfaction while simultaneously pulling down his hood. He was about to announce a promotion, but then...

"Arthur?"

Wait a second. "Merlin?! What are you doing, creeping around in the streets?"

"Bringing home some herbs. What are you doing, creeping around in the streets?"

"You're gathering herbs", the prince deadpanned, "at night." He didn't sound convinced.

"Oh, don't give me that look. I lost track of the time and some of these only bloom under moonlight. So it's much easier to spot them at night", he shoved a small basket with a few patches of greenery into his face before quickly pulling it away again, "Since I'm doing nothing illegal, I _could_ just walk in and announce myself, but the guards always ask so many questions and I really want to get some sleep in before the sun rises. So I decided to avoid them altogether. It's just easier. Anyway. Don't change the topic. You didn't answer my question."

The boy crossed his arms and raised his eyebrow. Unfair. He never could resist that god damn Eyebrow of Judgment. This was so uncannily similar to Gaius, it creeped him out.

"Is Gaius actually teaching you how to do the eyebrow?"

"Depends. Is it working?"

Arthur didn't think it possible, but the eyebrow actually creeped even higher up. "Oh my god, how are you doing this?"

It finally descended again as Merlin grinned instead. "Might be a family thing."

"That might be tr– Wait, what? Did you say family?"

"Sure. Gaius is my uncle after all."

"He is? Why didn't anyone tell me this?"

"Because you didn't ask?" Oh god. It's creeping up again. No! Don't do this to me! Arthur's internal objection of unfair play got woefully ignored as Merlin accused: "And don't think, you're getting off the hook that easily. I told you already: Don't change the topic. What are you doing here?"

Arthur caved in under the might of the eyebrow. What could he say. He had grown up under Gaius' Eyebrow of Doom. He never stood a chance.

"I'm doing an inspection."

"An inspection", Merlin quoted Arthur's earlier words in a dry tone, "at night." The prince cuffed him around the head.

"Ouch! What was that for?"

"Yes, Merlin. At night. I'm inspecting the performance of the guards."

"Pff, sure." Merlin waited for the actual explanation. When none came, he asked: "Wait, seriously?"

Arthur crossed his arms and just stared at him unimpressed. Merlin tried to hide his snicker as he casually inquired: "Right. So... How's it going this... inspection?"

"Abysmal."

"Thought so."

Arthur sighed. "Is it that obvious?"

"Well, the guards certainly aren't the sharpest swords in the armory, if you know what I mean. You could sneak a dragon through the city and they would be none the wiser."

"Why do I get the feeling you're speaking from experience?"

"Well, I'm not smuggling any dragons, if that's what you're asking. But it _is_ quite easy to get past them."

Arthur dragged his hand over his face and groaned. "Urg. Their incompetence knows no bounds, if even a total buffoon like you can get through unnoticed."

"Oy! I can be stealthy, if I want to be! But yeah... Camelot's guards really aren't a good example to prove that talent. I mean, Anthony always sleeps on the job, Ronald is blind as a mole, Carl as deaf as a potato and Konrad has the attention span of a three-year-old."

Arthur blinked at him. "How many times do you do this?"

"Too often."

Arthur resisted the urge to sigh again – A reoccurring theme with the boy. Suddenly he perked up as he heard steps approaching.

"Shh! Someone is coming!" He quickly pressed himself to the wall.

"I know. That's Konrad." Merlin didn't care. He just continued standing in the middle of the alley.

"How do you know?"

"He has a habit of dragging his feet as the night grows older. Also: He always stops a second to smell the flowers in Sally's garden."

And sure enough the steps stopped for a moment before they continued on their way.

"See? Konrad." Merlin nodded to himself.

"Would you finally come here. You will get us caught! ... Possibly."

"Pff. Watch this." Merlin unceremoniously picked up a pebble from the ground and threw it across the street into the alley on the other side.

"Who goes there?!" Konrad quickly zoned in on the sound and ran down the empty street across from them – away from their position.

Arthur was absolutely flabbergasted. "I can't believe this."

Merlin cheerfully skipped out onto the main street. "So... You coming?"

Arthur followed the boy's lead as he strolled through the city like he owned the place. Only occasionally did he change directions to avoid detection. It was an eye-opening experience to put it lightly.

And if on the very next day Arthur handed a multiple foot long list for improvements to the guard captain, well... No one needed to know, who had actually written it. And if that list contained some well hidden loopholes, that ensured a certain secret sorcerer could safely come and go to his highly illegal magic experiments at night... Well... The king's men didn't need to know everything now, did they?

* * *

"Right, you jumped up dung beetle, this is it. The final test."

Here we go again. Merlin tried to hide his groan. Another brute that thought he was good enough. Another brute that would be pummeled to the ground in less than twenty seconds. Why was the prat even staging all this drama about 'Facing the most feared of all foes'? As if we didn't know the rules already. Survive one full minute in free combat against the price and you're in. Grummond was the third candidate that tried for knighthood this month and none of them had even made it to the halfway point. This one would be no different. Even Merlin could tell and that's why he didn't understand the reason Arthur was even humoring the man. This would only end in embarrassment for Grummond after all the fanfare that was put into this.

Once he had finished his unnecessary speech, the prince finally drew his sword and signaled for Merlin to flip the hourglass.

"Your time starts now."

Merlin started to count in his head. — One.

Grummond flashily swung his swords around. — Two.

Arthur watched the man for a second. — Three.

The knight hopeful decided to go on the attack. — Four.

Arthur intercepted him gracefully... — Five.

and took him down with his second strike. — Six.

Wow. Six seconds. That must have been a new record. The crowd started applauding while Arthur disgruntledly strode over and yanked Grummond's flag out.

"Take him away."

Merlin quickly looked over the unconscious man and concluded that he would probably wake with a headache from were Arthur had hit him with the pommel of his sword. But apart from that the man was fine. So he stepped away and signaled for the helpers to carry him off.

As he turned back to Arthur he found him scowling at the other trainees who were back to practicing at the edge of the field. What he saw obviously wasn't up to his standards so his mood was as one would expect. Meaning... about to snap on whoever would dare to approach him in this state.

Merlin of course didn't get the hint and casually strolled over.

He wasn't sure if Arthur meant to address him or if he was just cursing to himself when he grit out: "How am I meant to defend Camelot with rubbish like that?!"

"One man's rubbish is another man's treasure."

Arthur blinked in confusion. "What?"

"I've seen what you royals throw away after feasts. That's a damn waste, I tell you. Are you aware that you could feed a whole village with all the leftovers you nobles just throw away to rot?"

Arthur turned around to stare at the boy. "What has that to do with the knight candidates?"

"Nothing. At. All. But since you're asking: I think, they need more time to be properly trained before they get thrown before your feet."

"You dare telling me how to train my knights?" Arthur was still low key seething.

Merlin shrugged. "Just saying."

"I don't have time to train them until they somehow manage to scrape by! We need more men. Now. But I don't need incompetent fools who don't understand the difference between a broadsword and a mace."

"Maybe you should actually teach them stuff instead of just pummeling them to the ground. You know? Give the man some feedback."

_"Merlin?"_

"Yes?"

"Shut. Up."

Merlin threw up his hands in an exaggerated show of defeat. "Ok ok, I'll leave you brooding on your miserable life then. Actually... Your arm is properly healed. So what am I even doing here? I'll just get back to Gaius and–"

"Oh no, you won't!" Arthur grabbed him by the neckerchief and dragged him onto the training field instead.

"Hey! What?! Wait! What are you doing?" Merlin's feeble attempt at freeing himself stopped when he was unceremoniously dropped right in the center of the training field.

Arthur clapped into his hands and called for attention from his knights.

"Ok, men! Today were are doing something a little different." They all shuffled closer to get their instructions.

"The king is not pleased by our performance from the latest northern patrol. So today we will practice our escort formations. This here..." he presented Merlin, who was still scrambling to his feet, "This is the lovely _Lady Merlin_. We will escort her through the most dangerous of forrests, over mountains high and through bandit infested lands. We will protect her with our lives until she is done picking her precious little flowers."

_"What?!"_ Merlin's indignant protest was woefully ignored.

"So, who can tell me what's most important when escorting a lady?"

"I'm not some _damsel_ in distress!"

Arthur finally turned back to him again. "Oh, really? Could have fooled me with how you were skittering around back then."

"What exactly did you expect me to do? Bite them to death?"

"I expected you to stay inside your protection circle without bothering the rest of us."

"Protection circle? I don't remember any _protection_ circles. I remember nearly getting stabbed six times and only one of those was by a bandit. I was fine once I finally got _out_ of that stupid triangle of death!"

"Triangle of–?!" Riled up as he was, this still made Arthur's thoughts screech to a halt. "Did you say _triangle of death?"_

When Merlin just crossed his arms and gave him a look instead of an answer, he turned and looked at the knights that had accompanied them on the patrol. The ones who had fought next to him seemed just as bewildered as he was. The ones who would have been in charge of protecting Merlin however were averting their eyes in something akin to shame.

"Sir Leon. Report!"

Even the usually composed Sir Leon seemed oddly subdued when he stepped forward. "Sire, when the bandits charged at us, we tried to get into base formation, but didn't account for Merlin as a noncombatant. Once we realized our mistake Sirs Ewan, Darek and I tried to shield him from harm, but the defensive line had drawn too close by that point. Instead of forming a circle, we ended up pretty much fighting back to back with Merlin in the middle. And I do admit the situation made it... challenging to watch our backswings. I can imagine how that must have felt like from the inside."

By the end of the report Leon's cheeks were slightly tinted red – as were Sir Ewan's. Sir Darek was the only one that didn't seem affected at all. Arthur didn't bother to hide how he massaged his temples to ward of his headache. He looked up to the skies and took a deep breath before he announced: "Well... At least you recognized what went wrong. I'm going to ask again: What is most important when protecting an escort?"

Sir Ewan hesitantly stepped forward. "Assessing the situation and drawing the protection line early in battle so it doesn't get too close to the escort."

"Right. What else?"

"Err..." Ewan didn't know what to say and no one else was particularly eager to raise his voice before the agitated prince.

Arthur gave a long suffering sigh before he announced: "Com-mu-ni-cation! If you take the lady, make it clear you are responsible for her and if the battle shifts so you cannot focus on her anymore, announce it to your comrades. That way the rest can adapt and step in. We have code words for this. I know we don't do escort missions often, but does no one here remember his training?"

When all he got was some noncommittal muttering, Arthur decided that it was high time to revise some old formations. "Ok, men. There's our lady. What are you waiting for? Get in position!"

With a start all the knights scrambled to form a big circle around Merlin.

"Bors, Ewan, Cadoc! On me. We are going to attack the formation."

Said knights stepped out of the circle and joined Arthur while the rest shifted to close the gaps around Merlin. The prince was about to charge at them, when Merlin casually walked out of his neat protection circle and inquired: "Is this really necessary?"

"If it has escaped your notice, the king has ordered for you to join us on patrols. So if you don't want to get skewered, get back in there."

"Don't I look much more valuable in there? If everyone obviously jumps over each other to protect me, won't I get targeted more since I seem like someone worth targeting?"

"So what? You want to bite the bandits to death after all? Or do you plan to learn your way with a sword and actually protect yourself?" Arthur admitted to himself that this actually wasn't the worst idea. If Merlin were at least able to hold his own, it would make all this a lot easier. Unfortunately the boy had a different opinion.

"Me? Why would I want to swing pointy sticks around? No, thank you. Can't I just... get out of the way and hide behind a tree or something?"

"Absolutely not. You will stay where I can see you." Arthur suppressed a shudder as he remembered the moment he had called out for the boy after battle and didn't know whether he was still alive or...

"But no one would give a damn about me, if they are busy fighting the oh so mighty knights of Camelot!"

"You don't know that."

"Uuuarg!" With a sound that was a bit of a growl and a lot of frustration Merlin turned on his heel. "I'm not doing this."

He was about to stomp off the field, but Arthur grabbed him by the elbow.

"Merlin, would you listen? This is about your safety!" After he got confronted by Merlin's utterly annoyed face, Arthur sighed and forced himself to calm down somewhat. "Look... You can hide, if the chance is there, but if we get surrounded that won't be possible. We need to be ready for everything or _you_ will pay the price."

Hearing a tiny note of desperation in the prince's voice, Merlin took a second to really look at Arthur. At first glance he was definitely still angry. A scowl was firmly placed on his face and his whole body was taunt. But beneath that... all he could read in those eyes was genuine concern. Merlin grimaced as he broke eye contact. He didn't like the thought of being constantly surrounded by knights. This would make defending himself and assisting the others so much more difficult. But Arthur didn't know that. Arthur just wanted to keep him safe. God damnit. Why must things be so difficult?

Merlin huffed once. "Alright. I'll give it a shot. But don't think I won't bolt the first chance I get."

"Fine." Arthur seemed actually relieved to hear this.

They awkwardly stood there for a second until Merlin hesitantly cleared his throat. "You... can let go now."

Arthur quickly drew back his hand. He hadn't realized he was still holding his arm. "Ehem. Sure. Now get back into your circle!"

Merlin rolled his eyes as he dragged himself into the center. He regretted this already.

* * *

"Stupid training. Stupid knights. Stupid Arthur..."

Merlin quietly muttered under his breath as he was searching for some mushrooms in the forrest. His whole body felt sore. Rising way before dawn to watch over Arthur's training had been a hassle. Actually participating was way worse. The prat had insisted that Merlin's constitution was 'pathetic at best'. So if he would ever dream of outrunning a bandit, while 'fleeing and hiding like a girl's petticoat', he should attend the early lapses run by the knight hopefuls.

On top of that Ewan, the traitor, had the glorious idea that it would be useful, if he knew how to use a shield. Ever since it had become the young knight's royally appointed duty to pummel Merlin to the ground at least once a week. Some days the prince himself would give him the 'honor' of 'training' him himself, which he liked to do very... _enthusiastically._ Thanks to the two of them about three quarters of Merlin's arms were now covered in bruises... He really hated Ewan.

Finally spotting some promising looking mushrooms, Merlin kneeled down to inspect them more closely. "Stupid bandits. Stupid king. Stupid Arthur..."

He was so engrossed in his little mantra, he completely missed the strangely loud sound of wings getting closer. "Stupid Ewan. Stupid shields. Stupid Arthur."

He also missed the crack of some branches getting torn off their trees and the heavy thumb on the earth. "Stupid–"

**_SCREECH!_ **

He didn't miss the hair raising screech that came from behind. Merlin spun around only to be faced by a giant eagle on four legs charging at him. Panic and adrenaline instantly kicked in as he tried to get away from it. He didn't even have time to consider magic until his legs betrayed him and he fell to the ground. He desperately tried to scramble away from the beast, but quickly realized the futility of it. He was about to close his eyes and give in to his fate, when...

"ROAR!"

A man yelled at the monster and threw himself between them. He readied his sword and attacked the beast – again and again, but the weapon didn't seem to hurt it. It just shrugged every hit off as if mildly bothered by a fly. The swordsman noticed this too of course and thrust his sword towards its neck in the hope of piecing threw it, but... the sword broke. Both men were dumbstruck for only a second before the fighter turned around, grabbed Merlin and shouted:

"Run! Run!"

Merlin didn't need any more encouragement. They practically flew through the underbrush of the forest – the beast hot on their heels. Now that he had slightly more time to asses his situation, he sensed the wild hum of magic radiating from behind. A magic beast. Of fucking course. And now he couldn't even protect himself from it, because of this stranger. Not that he wasn't grateful of course, but he would very much like to give the thing a good shove into a tree right about now. How did he always end up in situations like these? He was just picking mushrooms, for Avalon's sake! Why did the universe hate him so much?

They both spotted a big fallen tree in their path. After a sideways glance and a mutual shrug, they leaped over it and sought cover behind the trunk. Merlin was still expecting to end up as bird feed, but the beast must have decided that this particular meal wasn't worth the trouble and took to the sky instead. He watched in awe and disbelief as the eagle-lion-thing flew away.

"It's gone", he turned to his savior with a grin, "You saved my life. I'm Merlin."

The stranger took his offered hand and shook it. "Lancelot."

Aaaaand that was when Merlin noticed the growing patch of blood on Lancelot's side – right before the man passed out on him.

...

"Well, fuck."

* * *

~ An exhausting track home and some secret healing spells later... ~

"Thank you, Merlin, for carrying me all the way here and for the treatment of course. How can I ever repay you for this?"

"Pay? No no, Lancelot. You saved my life and treating people is kind of my job. I'd be a poor excuse of a physician, if I'd left my benefactor to bleed out in the woods."

"So you're a physician?" He sounded almost awed.

"Apprentice, for now. I'm learning under Camelot's court physician."

A spark glinted in Lancelot's eyes. "So we _are_ in Camelot." He stood up and looked out of the window to the merry bustling in the courtyard. "Ever since I was a child I've dreamed of coming here. It's my life's ambition to join the knights of Camelot. I know what you're thinking. I... I expect too much. After all, who am I? They have their pick of the best and bravest in the land."

"Lancelot", the boy interrupted hesitantly.

"Yes?"

"Have you ever heard of The First Code of Camelot?"

"No. What does it say?"

Merlin bit his lower lip. After a second of consideration he kneeled down and started to rummage around under his bed. A few dusty coughs later he pulled out a book titeled 'The knight's code of honor' and opened it to the first page. Lancelot took a seat next to Merlin and marveled at the fancy leather bound scripture. He wasn't exactly what you would call a scholar, but he was taught to read at least. So slowly, but steadily he read the very first line:

"The mantle of knighthood is an honor of the highest order. As such only those of noble blood may serve as..."

He trailed off. Had he misread? He started again, but didn't get far since Merlin carefully inquiried: "You're not a nobleman, by any chance, are you?"

"No", he let himself fall back into his seat, "No, I am not."

Merlin grimaced slightly and felt incredibly sorry as he watched all the light bleed from Lancelot's eyes. A second ago he had been full of life and practically brimmed with hope and excitement. Now he looked like a shell of a man – Despondent and robbed of his purpose.

This wasn't right. No. This wasn't fair!

Lancelot was everything a knight should aspire to be and more! It didn't take much for Merlin to fester his resolve.

"I'll make this right."

"What?"

Lancelot seemed a little confused as he watched Merlin stand up and pace around the room with a brooding look on his face. Finally the boy's attention snapped back to the would-be-knight and he announced:

"This is what we'll do."

* * *

_Knock knock._

Gwen put down the food she was preparing for her father and stared at the door. The shop would open almost two bells from now. That was commonly know in town. Who would visit them this early in the morning? She opened the door hesitantly and cautiously glanced through the crack.

"Morning, Gwen!"

Guinevere instantly lost all her suspicions as she was greeted by a very familiar smile.

"Good morning, Merlin." She opened the door fully to let her friend inside, but hesitated when she spotted the stranger next to him.

Merlin realized this and proceeded: "Ah– Gwen, this is Lancelot. Lancelot, this is Guinevere."

The man gave her a polite little bow as he stated: "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Guinevere."

Gwen blushed slightly as she corrected: "I'm not a lady. I'm just a maidservant and the lokal blacksmith's daughter."

"What do you mean, _'just'?",_ Merlin piqued in, "You're amazing, Gwen! Believe me, Lancelot. There's no one out there, who could tell you more about either armor or sewing in all of the five kingdoms."

That... was the strangest and most honest compliment she had ever gotten. Gwen didn't really know how to react to this. Thankfully Merlin quickly continued.

"I'm sorry to bother you on your day off, but could you maybe help us out?"

She realized they were still waiting on her doorstep. "Oh, of course! Do come in." Gwen hastily beckoned them inside. "What do you need?"

Merlin gestured over to his friend. "I'm assisting Lancelot here to become a knight, but for that he needs some well fitted chainmail and a good sword."

"Oh. Alright then." She gave the man a look-over. He certainly had the build of a knight. "I will need to make some measurements, if you are ok with it."

"Of course."

She took her reference string and got to work. Wide shoulders, straight back, strong arms, toned muscles... Her thoughts got interrupted by Lancelot clearing his throat.

"Thi... _*ahem*_ This is very kind of you."

She tried to hide her resurfacing blush. "Don't thank me. Thank Merlin. Merlin would do anything for anyone, wouldn't you, Merlin? Sorry, can you raise your arms? Thank you. Sorry. I think it's great that Merlin's getting you this chance. We need men like you."

"You do?"

"Well, not me personally, but you know... Camelot. Camelot needs knights. Not just Arthur and his kind, but ordinary people like you and me."

"Well, I'm not a knight yet, my Lady."

"And I told you, I'm not a lady." Gwen giggled.

"Sorry, my–"

"Okay, we're done. Erm... I should have something fitting in the back. Just... Give me a second."

She left the two men alone while she went to retrieve the equipment. Merlin watched as Lancelot stared at the door the girl had just left through. He looked a little dazed as he said: "She seems lovely. Guinevere."

"Oh, yeah. Yeah, she is. And she will provide you with the best armor. I promise."

"Are you two... you know."

Merlin laughed heartily at that. "No, no. Just friends."

Merlin gave Lancelot a sly sideways look, so he noticed his features lighting up as she reentered the room.

"I think, these should be a good fit. Let's try them on."

She handed him the chainmail and he quickly put it on. Gwen inspected the mail critically before deciding to top it of with a sturdy looking sword belt. It fitted him perfectly. Lancelot was still marveling at the exquisite armor, when she held a sword out to him. He took it reverently. A quick spin and it instantly felt like an extension of his arm. This was the finest sword he had ever touched, but...

"I– I'm sorry, but..."

Gwen furrowed her brow. "Does it feel off balance to you?"

"No! No it's perfect, but... It's just that... I don't think, I can afford this."

"Nonsense!" Merlin was having none of that. "So, Gwen, how much do I owe you?"

"Erm... For you that would be... let me count for a second..."

Great. Now she felt awful. She hadn't even considered that the items would be way to expensive for them. Usually the customers ordering equipment for knights didn't even ask for the price. She had to give them a bit of a discount, but her father would roast her alive, if he learned she had given away one of his best swords under its worth. But she knew how little pay apprentices earned while they were still learning their craft...

Merlin seemed to read the internal struggle on her face and smiled kindly at her. "Gwen. Please don't make me underpay you. I do have some savings. And if it's not enough yet, I will work hard and pay you back as soon as possible. I promise."

But Gwen didn't want to drag her friend into debt. She looked into his honest trusting face and broke a little inside as she uncertainly announced: "Twenty five silver?"

Against expectations the boy didn't gasp or sputter. He just nodded to himself and proceeded to pull a pouch from his belt. To her astonishment Merlin deposited twenty five shiny silver coins into her stunned hands.

"Thank you, Gwen. This will put us at the starting line." He grinned at her. And she couldn't help but laugh at her ridiculous friend. Merlin truly was a book of riddles wrapped in a mystery.

But her laugh was cut short when Lancelot protested: "No. Merlin, I can't accept this. You can't just throw all that money out because of me."

"Why not? I'm just compensating you, aren't I? Your own sword only broke because you were defending me and have I mentioned that I _owe you my life?_ Let me thank you for that, will you?"

"Wait, what?", Gwen chimed in.

"My sword was old, rusty and brittle. It would have broken soon anyway."

"Did you say _life?"_ Gwen was completely ignored.

"Maybe, but it _did_ break, when you fought that giant beast, which you wouldn't have faced, if it wasn't for me."

_"Beast?"_ What was going on?

"But this is worth so much more than my old stuff. Accepting this would be nothing short of a scam!"

"Scam? What? Lancelot, listen. If anything this would be the crown investing in a future knight. I mean– No wait. That came out wrong. I didn't get this from... I mean– This doesn't–"

"What?" Gwen felt a bit better seeing Lancelot apparently didn't understand the rambling boy either.

Merlin tiredly massaged the bridge of his nose. "Ok. Fine. You don't want to accept my _completely warranted_ thanks to you. Then what about this? I'm going to buy this and then I'm going to _lend_ it to you."

They stared at him. "What would that change?"

"I'm going to lend it to you and once you get your payroll as a knight, you can either get your own or buy this set from me."

Merlin held his hand out to seal the deal. Gwen watched intently as Lancelot thought this over. Finally he seemed to come to a grouching decision and shook Merlin's hand with a scowl on his face.

"I don't like this."

Merlin on the other hand was grinning like a loon. Gwen observed the two for a second longer before she finally dared to interrupt them again.

"So that's great and all, but what was that about a giant beast?"

* * *

After a way too brief explanation about how they had met, the two quickly excused themselves. Merlin claimed to be late for his duties, which was actually true since training was already underway when they arrived at the practice field. Lancelot took the scene in with awe. Upon realizing he was staring, he turned back to Merlin.

"So... We're here. I'm armed. What now? You don't expect me to lie to the prince about being a noble, do you?"

"What? No. That would be discovered as soon as the genealogist hears your name. Geoffrey knows all the family trees of Camelot's nobles by heart. He has written most of them down himself after all."

Merlin shuddered as he remembered the many hours long lecture he had been forced to sit through after he had made the mistake to ask the librarian about the dispute between Sir Hampfrey and his brother. He shook his head to clear his thoughts.

"So no. That's not an option. And I don't think you would like to base your knighthood on a lie anyway, would you?"

Lancelot smiled thankfully. "No. No I would not. But how do you plan to do this then? Under the king's law, I cannot become a knight."

Merlin waved his hand absentmindedly. "Nah, leave that to me. How would you judge your own stamina?"

Lancelot was slightly wrong footed because of this change of topic. "Err... mediocre, I'd say. There is still much room for improvement."

"So quite good then." Merlin nodded to himself.

The knight hopeful wanted to protest that that was not at all what he had said, but Merlin was already turning around and shouted to one of the knights that were refreshing themselves at the water barrels.

"Hey, Ewan! Up for a challenge?"

Lancelot was shocked to see the boy disregard all manners in front of the combined force of Camelot's knights. He was even more surprised when most of those knights simply rolled their eyes and continued their training. Before he could comprehend what was going on the knight, Sir Ewan, had already come over to them.

"Really, Merlin? What happened to _'Why would I want to swing pointy sticks around'_? Now you suddenly want to fight?"

"Don't be ridiculous. I won't fight you. He will!" Merlin grinned up to both his ears as he gave the stunned Lancelot a surprisingly strong pat on his shoulder.

Ewan looked the man over critically. "Ho? And who might you be?"

Lancelot almost startled at being addressed by a full fledged knight of Camelot, but he got his bearings back together and straightened himself up. "My name's Lancelot. It's an honor to meet you, Sir." He gave the man of higher standing a respectful bow.

Both of Ewan's eyebrows rose into his hairline. He had not expected anyone affiliated with Merlin to act this politely. Merlin meanwhile failed to hide his chuckle. Now Ewan was slightly suspicious. "I see...", he drawled out. "And how do you two know each other?"

The boy was happy to explain: "Oh, he just saved my life yesterday."

Ewan choked on thin air. _"What?!_ Why was your life in danger? Again?! Merlin! What the hell did you do this time?!"

"Hey! It's not my fault a freaking magical beast decided to snack me up for supper!"

The knight blinked a few times before he ignored Merlin and asked Lancelot instead: "What the fuck did he do?"

Feeling that the situation from the day before really wasn't Merlin's fault, he tried to clarify: "As far as I could tell he was just gathering mushrooms when the beast swooped down from the sky and attacked him."

"You should have seen him, Ewan! He came crashing out of the woods, sword held high and fought it off. It was amazing."

"Not amazing enough considering my sword broke, I got injured and the beast escaped", Lancelot stated solemnly.

"Stop being so modest, Lance." He was a little surprised at having gained a nickname after knowing the boy for less than a day. It didn't really register however since Merlin immediately continued with: "Believe me, Ewan. He knows, how to swing pointy sticks around. Would you grant him a duel?"

A duel?! Did Merlin just casually ask a knight of Camelot to honor him with a duel? He held his breath in anticipation.

Ewan looked him over one more time before he announced. "Well, I'm curious. Why not? A little spar wouldn't hurt, if you're up for it."

"Yes! I'd be honored! Thank you very much, Sir!" He bowed again. Both Merlin and Ewan watched him with a fond smile.

The two of them took their stance at the edge of the training field. Once their blades crossed for the first time, Ewan immediately realized he would need to take this fight seriously. Merlin was right. That man certainly knew his way around the sword. It took him way longer then he would like to admit until he was able to land a solid hit. And even that tiny victory was cut short as Lancelot retaliated immediately. It was clear, the man hadn't undergone official knight training, but he adapted shockingly quickly to his fighting style. In the end they had to settle with a draw.

Chest heaving with extortion he congratulated: "Good fight! Lancelot, was it?"

"Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir." He was also catching his breath, but quickly composed himself. "Thank you for honoring me with this opportunity to test my strength."

That was when a grinning Merlin appeared and threw a water skin at each of them, which they caught and immediately started to gulp down on. Once they were properly refreshed he inquired: "Sooo~ How was it?"

"Incredible!", Lancelot burst out, "I learned so much from this challenge alone. Thank you, Merlin, for getting me this chance."

Merlin smirked. "Get ready to thank me some more, because I think, you are about to get challenged again."

"What?" Lancelot only had a moment to be confused because the next second a new voice called out to him from behind.

"That was a good fight." A strict looking knight with curly blond hair approached them. "Your swordplay looks promising, but your footwork needs polish. You should try to keep your stance a little wider. It will steady your balance."

Lancelot was practically soaking up each word. "I'll keep that in mind. Thank you, Sir!"

"Then show me, what you can do."

Ewan watched with amusement as Lancelot was whisked away by Sir Leon. He gave Merlin a sideways look and found him with a pleased smile on his face.

"You planed this, didn't you?"

"You can prove nothing."

The knight chuckled at the audacity. "Well, seeing your friend training so diligently...", he grabbed one of the shields and threw it to Merlin, "We wouldn't want you to fall behind, would we?"

Merlin groaned dramatically, but hoisted the shield onto his arm before he announced: "Bring it."

And so the two of them got lost in their own training. He had to give it to the boy... He sure could take a punch. No matter how often he fell down, he always got back on his feet again – each time more determined than the last. And he did get better. It was a slow process, but Merlin steadily learned how to deflect the impacts instead of taking them head on. Ewan would have preferred training him every day to hasten the progress, but Merlin claimed that he was training to become a physician, not a knight. He did admit that the boy had a point there. So they would have to make the most out of these sporadic exercises. The knight was quite engrossed in his attack, when he noticed Merlin's eyes slide away from him. He halted his onslaught in confusion. A blinding grin was splitting the boy's face as he stated with much glee:

"Here we go."

Ewan turned around just in time to see the first clash of steel against steel between Lancelot and Arthur. The prince was testing his opponent and seemed to like what he found. His swings were almost playful as Lancelot parried every single one of them. With a pleased smirk he went on the offensive. Lancelot was taken aback by the sudden ferocity of his opponent's attack, but he managed to hold his own and even dared to go on the offensive himself.

The others on the practice field had long since abandoned their training in favor of watching the impressive duel unfolding between the prince and the new guy.

Arthur meanwhile was grinning widely as he fought. Finally! Something he could work with! This man was already more skilled than any of the hopeless cases he had wasted his time with for the last months. He was fairly certain the man would pass the knights test here and now, if he were to try him. But first he had to put him into his place. So with practiced routine he twisted his sword around and flung his opponent's weapon from his grasp. He held him at sword point.

They were both breathing heavily as they stared at each other for a moment. Then he announced:

"Congratulations, Lancelot. You just made Basic training."

The talented man's eyes went wide as saucers. He wanted to say something, "Sire, I am–", but he was cut short by the warning bells going off.

* * *

When Lancelot arrived at the main square, he found Merlin already helping a young woman to sit near Gaius. The physician himself was tending to another woman, whose head was wrapped with lots of rough, bloodied bandages. Merlin whispered promises of safety to the victims while he washed and wrapped a nasty looking wound on her upper arm. It seemed like something had hacked a good chunk of flesh right off her bones.

Lancelot took in the scene of chaos while the square was flooded with villagers in various stages of injury. "What happened to these people?"

It was Gaius, who answered without taking his eyes off his patient: "Their village was attacked by a winged monster."

Lancelot gasped and immediately tried to catch Merlin's eyes, but he only saw him gritting his teeth as he went to a young boy, who seemed to have been slashed across his back by a large talon. Lancelot stared at the child in horror. If he had managed to kill the beast, when he had the chance–

His musings were interrupted by the arrival of Guinevere. She determinedly strode up to Merlin with a few other woman in tow and almost demanded: "What can we do?"

"Gwen! Thank god!" Merlin was overjoyed to see her and promptly listed things they would need. Some of the girls spread out to fetch them while the rest followed Gwen's lead and tended to all the minor injuries that didn't need immediate attention of a trained physician. The efficiency with which they worked together was almost mesmerizing to watch...

A cry of pain shook Lancelot out of his stupor. What was he thinking just standing around? These people needed all the help they could get! He determinedly approached Merlin.

"How can I help?"

Merlin seemed oddly surprised for a second. But soon his face turned to a thankful smile and he showed Lancelot how to properly bind a flesh wound.

* * *

**BANG**

Sir Geoffrey of Monmouth didn't need to look up from his work to know, who had just entered his library. "Ah, Merlin. I expected you to show up sooner or later."

"Getting predictable, am I?"

"Not necessarily. But whenever chaos ensues in Camelot, generally you are somehow in the thick of it."

"... Well, I can't deny that."

The librarian put his quill down to give Merlin his undivided attention. "So, I assume you are here for information on the beast terrorizing the villages."

"Yes. Do you know something?"

"I tried to do some research on the nature of the beast, but unfortunately progress is slow going. You see, the problem with panicked crowds is that they obscure information. The testimonies of the victims are twisted by fear."

"Well, I could–"

Geoffrey presented the records of the investigation to his face.

"Allegedly the beast has a beak, as well as tusks. Talons, hooves and paws in equal measure, a serpent as a tail. Some speak of feathers while others swear on fur."

"Well, I–"

The frustrated librarian threw the parchment down with a huff.

"I suspect some people, who claim to have seen it, actually only encountered a large boar. But that is only a hypothesis. So far the facts they offer are all over the place with some outright contradicting others. If I were to take all accounts at face value. One would think we were dealing with some kind of shape shifting chimera, but a creature like that would be unheard of. So some testimonies must be false. But which ones? I need to sort them out based on credibility and compare them to each creature known to man! This transforms the simple task of identifying the beast into quite the challenging undertaking. So unless I am supplied reliable information, there is little I can do."

Once Geoffrey seemed like he had finished his rant Merlin offered: "It's a magical beast with a body like a lion – wings, head and talons of an eagle and about the size of a large horse."

The librarian blinked a few times. "That... sounds like a griffin."

Merlin pointed to the shelve containing information on various forms of wildlife and beasts in particular. "Scamander or Rochester?"

"Scamander."

The boy didn't waste any more time. He immediately retrieved the "Illustrated bestiary of legendary creatures" by Lord Scamander and started to quickly flip through it. Geoffrey followed him to the work table and looked over his shoulder while Merlin discarded page after page in his search. It was generally against his policies to interrupt someone while studying, but...

"How exactly did you acquire such a precise description of the elusive beast?"

"The grand art of articulation."

_"Merlin."_

When Merlin briefly turned around to the man, he found him with an unimpressed scowl on his face.

"... Sorry, Sir. In fact I happened to come across it myself just yesterday."

The librarian sputtered. "How on earth do you always end up–"

"I don't know!"

* * *

**BANG**

Gaius never had reason to question the sturdiness of his door in the past. As of late he wasn't so sure of it anymore. Merlin practically fell into the room with a giant book tucked under his arm and immediately exclaimed: "Bad news, Gaius. It's as we feared. The beast is of magical origin. It's called 'griffin' and according to this", he opened the book to a marked page, "it's completely invulnerable to physical attacks. The only way to defeat it would be with powerful magic."

The physician quickly skimmed the page. "I fear you are right, my boy. This is bad. If Arthur and the knights face this on their own, it will end in a massacre."

"We must warn him then."

Merlin was surprised to hear someone else speak his thoughts. He hadn't realized that Lancelot was in here as well. "You're right, Lance. I heard he plans to hunt it down tomorrow. We can't allow this."

"In that case, we must inform him immediately. Where do you think, we could find him?"

"If they want to ride at dawn, he's probably at the practice field to discuss their strategy for the hunt."

"Alright, let's go." Lancelot promptly turned for the door to fulfill his duty to the crown.

Merlin on the other hand exchanged a meaningful look with Gaius before he stated: "I still need to clarify something in this text. You should go ahead. I will follow you shortly."

Lancelot hesitated briefly, but relented almost immediately. "Ok, meet you on the field."

Once he had left Merlin turned back to his mentor. "Do you know something that could stop this thing?"

The physician pondered this for a moment. "Get us the book, will you?"

Merlin didn't need to ask which book he meant. He hastily removed the book of spells from under his floorboards and handed it to the old man. Gaius skimmed through the pages. "If I'm not mistaken, there should be... Aha!"

He stopped and pointed at a powerful enchantment. Merlin's eyes went wide as he read through the content. "No... this is madness. I don't have magic that powerful! There must be another way."

"This is the only way."

"No way. Impossible. Maybe we can... relocate it! Lure it away into the mountains or something."

"Merlin, this beast has tasted human flesh. It will never stop hunting people. If you do not finish it off, it will continue to raid defenseless villages."

The boy jumped from his seat and started to pace. "Yeah, yeah. Sure! Just do this, Merlin. Do that, Merlin. Go and kill the griffin, Merlin. Never mind that it is thrice your size and can hack all the flesh off your bones in under a minute. Do you even _care_ what happens to me?!"

"Merlin! Merlin, you are the only thing I care about in all this world. I would give my life for you without a thought. But for what? I cannot save Arthur. That is not within my power, but it is in yours. I wouldn't ask this of you if I didn't think you would succeed."

Merlin stopped his pacing and exhaled deeply. "I'm sorry."

"I don't know what else I can say."

"I'll say it for you. Either Lancelot and I succeed in at least delaying Arthur or we have but a single night to find a way to kills this thing."

He turned on his heel to go and back up Lancelot. On his way to the door his eyes caught on Gaius' instruments for potion brewing. Maybe... Well, just in case.

"I'll lend this, ok? Yeah? Thank you!"

The old man hadn't even seen what the boy had taken. He was already on the other side of the door.

* * *

Arthur had just finished his strategy meeting with the knights. This was it. At first light they would ride out and face the unknown creature that had brought so much destruction upon their land. He was about to turn in for some restless sleep when he was approached by a determined looking Lancelot.

"Sire! I'm sorry to take your time, but there is something you should know about the beast."

"You have information on the creature? Well, out with it then."

"Thank you, sire", he did a quick bow, "I need to inform you that the beast is magical and as such impervious to physical attacks. Swords will be useless against it."

Arthur raised a skeptical eyebrow. "And how did you come across that information?"

"Merlin found out what kind of creature it is. Gri... Griffank or something. He has a book about it."

_"Merlin_ has a book about it?" He didn't look convinced. "And he believes it to be some fairytale monster, that can not be killed?"

"Well, he didn't say that exactly, but I am inclined to believe him."

"Aha. And... How exactly do you even know Merlin?"

"We met in the woods, while he was being attacked by the creature. When I faced the beast–"

"You fought it? With Merlin?!" Now the prince seemed more interested.

"Yes. Though calling it a fight might be a bit of a stretch. It was quite one-sided. My sword didn't pierce its hide at all. More over: When I struck its neck, the sword broke to pieces and there still wasn't a scratch on the thing."

Arthur actually seemed to think this over. "And that... book. Did it say how to kill it?"

"Well..." Lancelot hesitated.

"Come on, out with it!" If their traditional weapons were useless, he had to revise his strategy until the next morning and inform his men on the change of plans.

Lancelot reluctantly revealed: "Merlin mentioned it could only be defeated by magic."

The prince's eyes widened. Then they closed as he massaged the bridge of his nose. "That is... _not_ an option, obviously. We will have to prevail with steel and sinew alone."

"But sire–"

"No, Lancelot. We can not allow the beast to savage any more villages. We also can not steep so low as to resort to sorcery. The plan stands. Our knights will ride out and hunt the beast down."

"Then let me ride with you, sire."

"Lancelot. This is a battle for the knights of Camelot." Lance's face fell in dejection, but Arthur continued: "Which is why I'm bringing your test forward. You'll face me in the morning."

The man looked shocked to hear this. "But, sire–"

"I believe you to be ready for it. Will you become our brother in arms?"

Arthur would have thought the man would be happy to hear this, but against expectations... He looked troubled. No – almost anguished. Had he misread the man? Did he not aspire to become a knight?

His questions were answered, when Lancelot clarified: "You honor me, your highness. And I assure you, there is nothing in this world that would make me more happy than to prove myself worthy and serve you in knighthood, but... Sire... I'm not a noble."

Arthur's thoughts screeched to a halt. "What?" That... That couldn't be. This man– He looked him over. His armor and weapon were of a fine quality, but upon closer inspection... the shirt beneath the mail looked torn and old. His breaches were rough, the boots well past their prime... This was a commoner. Finally he had found someone worth his while and he turned out to be a commoner?!

"You lied to me!"

"No, he didn't." Merlin arrived at the scene and immediately butted in. "He just sparred with some knights. Is that forbidden?"

"Of course it isn't, but he–"

"–got recognized _for his skill alone."_ Merlin defiantly crossed his arms.

Arthur didn't have a suitable response to that. He was right. Lancelot had proven himself an able fighter without any influence of his heritage. At no point had he flaunted his upbringing. He hadn't even asked to be knighted. Arthur had just assumed. The man had also proven to be noble of heart as he informed him about the misunderstanding of his own volition despite standing in the way of his own ambitions.

The prince got pulled out of his musings by Merlin as he loudly cleared his throat. The boy held up his hand and revealed a tiny hourglass... which he promptly flipped. Arthur only stared at it for a second before he reflexively took his swing at Lancelot.

The man had not anticipated the attack at all, but still managed to block just in time. He quickly overcame his surprise and answered with a slash of his own. Arthur dodged easily and proceeded to punch him – _Hard_. Lancelot stumbled back, but held his ground. After parrying another of Arthur's swings, he went on the offensive again. He slashed and stabbed in quick succession, but Arthur met every single blow with his sword. Suddenly the prince stepped forward into his sword reach and unsettled him so much that Arthur got an opening to pull the legs out under him. Lancelot fell to the ground.

The prince was about to sheave his sword, but all of a sudden Lance got up, knocked Arthur off his feet and held him at sword point. The two breathed heavily for a second until Merlin announced:

"One minute."

The three of them were staring at each other in silence. The moment broke when Arthur grumpily pushed the sword away with his gloved hand and stood up. Merlin gave him an expectant look, but Arthur just shook his head. Lancelot, not knowing the rules, was confused by the whole thing.

"Does this mean something?"

Merlin broke his little staring contest with Arthur in favor of informing him that: "It means you passed the knight's test."

" _Mer_ lin!"

He ignored the prince. "So congratulations, because you–"

"Merlin, I _can't!_ It's against the law, you imbecile!"

"Then the stupid law is _wrong!_ "

"The law is _the law!"_

"But it doesn't make any sense! You're excluding so many people, that would gladly serve under you. People that know humility as well as nobility, courage as well as faith. Why do you turn them away?"

"The Fist Code is meant to _protect the king_. A sovereign has to put his trust into his knights without question. That's why the position is reserved for families, that have sworn allegiance to the crown."

"Oh, yeah. Because no noble has ever stabbed his liege in the back, once someone offered a better deal to him."

"Merlin!"

"What? It's true! You can buy someone's services, but not his loyalty."

"Precisely. And that's why a king must gather strong, reliable supporters and unite them into a force that none would dare to question. No one would follow a king that doesn't surround himself with powerful allies."

"Who do you think your people would rather follow? A king that put's himself on a pedestal and hides behind a wall of nobles or a king that walks among them and gives everyone an equal chance at life? Would they choose a leader that revels in money and flattery or one that rewards effort and skill?"

The prince visibly floundered at this. "What– What would you know about kingship! I'm the prince. I don't have to answer to you. You–!"

Lancelot watched the unfolding argument with dread. If this went on, Merlin would possibly end up in the stocks or even dungeons because of him. So he tried to somehow placate the two. "Sire, Merlin, please! I'm not worth this argument."

This seemed to solidify Merlin's point even more. "Look at him! Look at him and tell me, he doesn't deserve to be a knight!"

Arthur grid his teeth. He didn't dare look at the man.

"Sire, I only wish to serve with honor and I am aware that I cannot put myself above the laws I strive to uphold. I can not become your knight. I understand that now, but please. Please let me ride beside you while you face that beast. I failed to subdue it before and innocent villagers paid the price for that. Please let me rectify my failure."

Merlin seemed to have calmed down quite a bit after hearing this. "Lancelot, it wasn't your fault. You couldn't–"

"No, Merlin. Let me do this."

Arthur looked the man over. A fine knight he would be. How cruel that the most noble man he had ever met turned out to be no noble at all. Merlin was right. This wasn't fair. And he needed men like this. He would gladly ride beside him. Oh how much he wanted to knight the man and be over with this, but he couldn't. His father would not stand for this. Maybe just this once... But... No. He couldn't.

"We will ride out with the first sound of the midday bell. Don't be late."

He felt horrible as he turned around and ignored everything Merlin called after him.

* * *

"Bre _gdan_ an _wea_ ld _gafel_ uec."

Merlin desperately clutched the knife, but once again nothing happened. He had been up the whole night, but the sun had already risen and so far he hadn't even managed a spark. Gaius tried to comfort him.

"Don't worry, Merlin. I know you're trying."

"And I'm failing! And if they all die because I'm not good enough–"

"Merlin!"

The door flew open as Lancelot ran in. "They're gone!"

"Who's gone?"

"The knights! They've already ridden out!"

"What?! But it's not yet–", his eyes widened in understanding, "Oh that _bastard!"_

Merlin and Lancelot both ran out leaving a bewildered Gaius behind.

* * *

"For Camelot!"

They heard Arthur's desperate but determined war cry from a distance. They didn't hear the other knights answer in kind. Merlin dreaded the implications of this. The crashes and screeches from the griffin were getting louder now.

"You should get down, Merlin. I will ride against the beast."

Merlin didn't object and hastily dismounted to get into position behind some trees. He finally saw the creature right at the moment it managed to land a hit on Arthur and send him flying across the clearing. The other knights were nowhere in sight. The beast got ready to pounce on the downed prince, but its attention was drawn by Lancelot, who reared his horse.

"For Camelot!", he shouted as he charged.

"Okay, Merlin, it's now or never", he mumbled and tried once again. _"Br_ egd _an anwe_ ald _gaf_ elu _ec."_

Nothing happened. Lancelot passed him. _"Br_ e _gdan anwe_ al _d gaf_ elu _ec!"_

The griffin too decided to charge at his new adversary.

_"Bregdan anweald gafeluec!!!"_

Finally, _finally_ he felt his magic take shape. Merlin cried out in euphoria as he sensed how the spell latched onto the spear and enveloped it fully. Said euphoria was cut short however once he recognized a slight oversight in his plan: The lance burst into a blaze of unnatural blue fire that illuminated the whole clearing. The lance had no problem piercing into the beast's flesh and as soon as it did the griffin was engulfed in flames and promptly burned to a crisp. Yeah, no way could he explain that away. Apart from Lancelot, he was the only one around, who could have done this. Fuck! He needed– He needed to get away! If Lancelot saw or heard– He was so fucked.

He wanted to run. He _did_ try to run. But he didn't get far because he heard a pitiful groan of pain behind him. Sheer reflex made him turn towards the sound, where he saw none other than the prince himself, on the ground, clutching at his head. What was he doing? He couldn't run. They had faced the griffin alone without magic. He couldn't leave him or the others to their injuries. Where were the other knights anyway? He didn't ride out alone, did he?

Arthur was trying to hoist himself into seating position with quite a lot of difficulty. Seeing this Merlin immediately rushed to his side and held him down.

"Easy there, sire. We don't want you to hurt yourself further."

"M'lin? Wha ar' you doin 'ere?" His speech was slurred and his eyes seemed to have trouble focusing. Merlin snapped his fingers in front of Arthur's face a few times to assert his reflexes. His reactions ranged from compromised to nonexistent.

Lancelot kneeled down next to them. "How is he?"

"Oh, he's definitely concussed."

"Da biest?", the prince inquired.

"The griffin is dead. Lancelot killed it."

Arthur's forehead wrinkled as he seemingly tried to process this and thought hard about something important. Merlin fought the urge to make a comment, but that would have been unfair considering his current condition. Arthur's musings must have come to some results, because he got out: "I... I sawww fi'r. Blu' fire? Wha–"

Lancelot decided to butt in. "The beast went up in flames once I pierced its heart. Must be another weird magical trait."

The confused prince grunted a sound of consent before promptly falling unconscious. Merlin meanwhile was gaping at Lancelot. Had he just covered for him? Surely he didn't believe what he had just said. The lance had caught fire long before it made contact with the griffin.

"Lancelot. That–" Merlin was interrupted by another pitiful groan from the shrubbery beside him. "What the–"

He noticed a boot sticking out between the leafs as the bush started to shake. The two hurried over to help the unfortunate soul stuck there and found none other than:

"Sir Leon? How did you end up in here?"

"Do I really have to answer that before you get me out? I think, I might have sprained my ankle." The knight attempted to free himself, but only managed to jostle his injured foot and hissed at the new wave of pain.

"Leon, stop. We'll get you out of there. Just... Just a second."

Somehow he had ended up rather deep inside of the thicket. They could barely reach him like this and Merlin definitely didn't want to pull him out by the foot.

"Err... Lancelot? Do you think, you can cut a bit of that away?"

"Well, let me just get a sword and–", Leon thrust his blade out of the bush, "... Never mind."

Lancelot accepted the weapon and tentatively slashed away the most obstructive branches until Merlin was able to grab Leon under the armpits and carefully dragged him out. Once the man was freed Lancelot decided to look for other survivors, while Merlin inspected the ankle. It didn't take him long to come to the conclusion that:

"Yep. That's a sprain."

"Great. Just what I needed", the knight muttered.

"Well, you should look at the bright side of it."

"That being?"

"First: You're not dead!" He said so with he wide 'hooray' gesture. "Second: Now you have a story to tell."

"You really think, I would spread a story where I end up trapped in an infernal piece of shrubbery."

"You, sir, need to learn a thing or two about storytelling. If you announce to the people how valiantly you fought against this terrifying griffin, they will naturally assume all those scratches on your face came from its talons."

Hearing this Leon dragged his hands over his face and felt a multitude of little stings littered across it. Merlin tutted. "And now you have rubbed a lot of dirt into them, increasing the chance of infection. Congratulations."

The knight groaned again. Merlin ignored that and handed him his water skin. "Here. You should wash that out. How about I fashion you a splint in the meantime?"

"Thank you, Merlin." He accepted the water and proceeded to rinse out all the blood and grime he could.

"Don't mention it." The boy took one of the more sturdy branches that were sacrificed for their little rescue mission and fixed it onto Leon's ankle. "Oh! I thought of another great thing about this!"

"Really?", he asked skeptically while trying and failing to untangle a branch from his hair.

"Yes!" Merlin grinned at him. "Now you have a legit reason to skip training."

"What exactly is 'great' about that?" The man seemed genuinely confused.

Merlin's grin turned into a frown. "Oh, no. You're one of _those_ , aren't you?"

Now he was even more confused. "One of who?"

"Pleeeease, no! Arthur is enough work on his own. Don't tell me, I'll have to babysit you too."

Leon huffed a laugh at that. "Don't worry. I know my limits. But you should make sure, the prince never hears you referring to your... _arrangement_ like that."

"Oh, I've already said that to his face."

Now it was Leon's turn to stare at him. Merlin finished up his first aid and patted him on the knee good-naturedly. "There, there all better." He offered the man a hand to help him up. Leon was still gaping at him while he took it. 

"I simply cannot decide whether you are incredibly brave or incredibly stupid."

The knight was surprised by himself that he had spoken those words aloud. Against his expectations Merlin didn't seem offended at all. Instead he threw the knight one of his bright, disarming smiles and answered: "A bit of both, or so I'm told."

Then they heard Lancelot's distressed shout from behind the tree line: "Merlin! Over here!"

Leon was surprised by the sudden change of demeanor in the boy. It was staggering to see such a carefree, happy face in one second and a grim, determined grimace in the next. He didn't waste a second and immediately strode to the other side of the clearing. 'A man on a mission', Leon thought to himself as he watched the retreating back.

The knight looked down at his foot. He carefully tested his newly acquired splint and – seeing that it held just fine – decided to follow them and asses the situation. To his chagrin he had gone down quite early in the fight, so he had no idea what might have become of the other knights. He slowly hobbled over to the others. The closer he got the clearer could he hear muffled grunts of pain. His stomach dropped. That sounded like more than one injured man. He hastened his steps despite the pain.

Leon arrived at a scene cut straight from his nightmares. His comrades practically littered the forest ground. None had come out of the battle unscathed, it seemed. He saw Sir Bors desperately clutching at a wound on his side, Sir Edinbrew was unconscious (or worse), Sir... someone had been ripped open by the beast. He couldn't recognize the bloody remains that were spilling their innards onto the ground. He looked away. Another muffled scream of pain grabbed his attention. Merlin was currently kneeling beside Sir Cadoc. The boy had discarded his neckerchief to wrap it around a branch so the knight could bite down on it while he... **CRACK!** Leon was quite sure he had just reset the man's leg.

Probably noticing the stares at his back, Merlin turned around for just a moment and observed Leon. "You alright?"

"Yes", he chocked out even though he definitively _didn't_ feel 'alright'.

"You're ok to move around?"

He nodded.

"Ok, could you maybe help Bors with that?" The boy threw something to him.

Leon caught it and recognized it as a bundle of bandages. He nodded again. "Of course."

The knight limbed to Sir Bors and got to work. He tried to bind the wound as best he could, but hesitated when the man hissed in pain. He loosened the cloth a little and tried not to hurt him further, but Lancelot called out to him: "It needs to be a bit tighter than that. Otherwise it won't hold."

Only a few feet by his side Lancelot was just finishing up binding a wound on Sir Ewan's arm. Sir Ewan in turn took the remaining bandages and made his way over to a bloodied Sir Darek, while Lancelot knelt down beside him and explained what Merlin had taught him the day before.

* * *

In the evening, once the injured were mostly taken care of and Arthur had his bearings back together, the prince took Lancelot with him to report back to his father. He had barely entered the throne room, when Uther already whirled towards him.

"You did it, my son. You did it."

It hurt a little to see his father this happy and dare he say... _proud_ for something he had not accomplished himself. He clarified: "Not I, father. It was Lancelot."

"Lancelot?"

The man in question entered a step behind the prince.

"Who is this?", the king demanded – his voice neutral and strangely guarded.

"This is Lancelot, the fine warrior who managed to slay the beast!" Arthur smiled genuinely as he presented the hero to his father.

He didn't expect the king's mood to turn sour as he judgingly looked the man over. "A warrior, not a knight?"

Lancelot bowed as answered: "No, your highness. Just a simple man honing his skills with the sword."

The king's eyes narrowed slightly. Arthur however proclaimed: "Surely, a feat such as this warrants a fitting reward."

"Certainly. What do you have in mind?"

"Father, I wish to knight him."

Both Lancelot's as well as the king's head whipped towards the prince. "What?"

"He fought as bravely, if not more so than my own men. I wish to promote him into our ranks."

The king was outraged. "Arthur, must I remind you of The First Code?"

"But surely Lancelot's actions change things?"

"His actions change nothing. The Code bends for no man!"

Now it was Arthur's turn to loose his temper. "He laid down his life for me! He served with honour."

"Never. The Code is law."

"Then The Code is wrong!", the prince shouted him in the face.

Seeing this, Lancelot felt a sense of déjà vu. Strange how the prince now stood on the other side of exactly the same argument. Anyway he tried to intervene before things could escalate. "My lords, this really isn't ne–"

He was cut off by Uther. "No! Not a word! You! Wait outside."

Lancelot obediently exited the room.

"You have no right to–" The king's words were blocked out by the guards closing the doors.

Just that moment Merlin stumbled around the corner. "What are they doing?"

"Deciding my fate."

Merlin grinned. "They'll probably knight you, of course they will. You killed the griffin."

"I wouldn't be so sure. Besides... I didn't kill the griffin." Lancelot slightly walked away from the guards before he whispered: "You did."

Merlin's incredulous scoff didn't mask his nervousness in the slightest. "That's ridiculous."

"Bregdan anweald... I heard you. I saw you."

Merlin nervously glanced at the guards. He couldn't believe the man's nerve for discussing this right in front of the throne room.

"Lancelot, if you plan to–"

"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. But I cannot take the credit for what I did not do."

Merlin's heart was about to beat out of his chest. "What are you going to do?"

"The only thing I can do", he stated solemnly before he turned around and demanded for the guards to let him through. When they didn't, he burst through the door anyway.

"What is this?!" Uther's mood had not improved in the meantime.

The guards moved to restrain Lancelot, which he didn't fight against. The only thing he demanded: "Please, let me speak!"

"Wait. I'll hear him."

Once he was released he straightened his spine and announced: "I wanted to thank the prince for his generous offer. You honor me, my lord, but I wish to decline."

Arthur was fully baffled by that declaration. "What is this, Lancelot?"

"My actions have only sowed conflict between you. I cannot bear that burden. I see now that I must start again on a different path. Then maybe one day fate shall grant me another chance to prove myself a worthy knight of Camelot."

"But... Lancelot, you've already proven that to us."

"But I must prove it to myself. Your Majesties." He bowed first to Uther then to Arthur before he excused himself from the room – leaving an absolutely crestfallen prince and a mildly considering king.

Once the guards had closed the door behind him, he let out a long breath. Then he noticed Merlin standing before him with his arms crossed.

"Has anyone ever told you that you are way too noble for your own good?"

"Some might have said something similar... once or twice."

They all startled when the doors flew open and the prince marched through. He immediately stopped once he saw Lancelot. "Ah, good. You're still here."

"I am. Is there something you need of me, my lord?"

"I– err... I wanted to know what you plan to do from now on."

"I'm not sure yet. I'll... probably go back to wandering from town to town. See if anyone has need of my... my particular skills."

"Aha, that is... alright. I... I guess I'll wish you good luck. For your travels."

Merlin rolled his eyes. That was painful to watch. Arthur clearly didn't want to let the man go and Lancelot wasn't really satisfied with this outcome either. Why was neither of them able to say what they wanted? He couldn't let this stay.

"I think, the better question here would be...", he turned to the prince, "What do _you_ want to do?"

"What do I–? What can I even do? I can't knight him against the king's will!"

"Maybe not. But what _can_ you do?"

That got him a little wrong footed, but it also got him thinking. "I can't knight him... _yet_." He fixated a considering gaze on Lancelot. "But I _can_ appoint you as a guard for now. Maybe... If your service proves to be outstanding, I might be able to slowly convince father to open our ranks to trusted and capable citizens."

Lancelot the noble idiot objected: "No, sire. I don't want to be the reason for you to undermine your king."

Merlin gave him a look. "Did you have to put it like that?"

"I wouldn't be... _undermining_ him", the thought clearly made him uncomfortable, "I'm... counseling him! For the good of Camelot." He nodded as if he were convincing himself instead of the others. "And even if the king does not agree with me, _one day_ things will change."

The promise hung in the air.

"What say you, Lancelot? Will you stay and serve this country?"

The man was very much overwhelmed by what the prince was trying to do for him. A few days ago becoming a knight had only been a far fetched dream of his. Now he stood before _the_ Prince of Camelot, who basically promised to knight him as soon as he became king, if not sooner. How had his life changed so much in so little time? He glanced at the boy beside him. Merlin was grinning from ear to ear. His eyes sparkled as if _he_ were the one being given this chance. And he should. He really should, because he was the one that had saved them all. But for some strange reason the boy thought that he deserved this instead and he looked so happy that the prince agreed. What a riddle this boy– this sorcerer at the heart of Camelot was. His musings found an end, when the boy encouragingly gestured his head to the prince, who was still awaiting his answer. So he made his decision and kneeled down.

"I swear to serve you, my lord. In whatever way you need of me."

Arthur was absolutely overjoyed. "In that case..." He cleared his throat and continued in a ceremonial voice. "Arise... Lancelot. Guard of Camelot", he announced with a smirk.

"Woohoo!" Merlin cheered. "This calls for a celebration!"

He flung his arm around Lancelot, had the audacity to grab the prince too and dragged them away to bring the great news to Gwen. When they turned around to go, none of them noticed the spark that had lit up in the eyes of the men guarding the door. As soon as they were around a corner one of the guards leaned over to his colleague.

"I didn't misunderstand what just happened, did I?"

The other man smiled. "I don't think you did."

He gripped his spear a little tighter as a wide grin grew on his face and he whispered: "One day, he said."

"One day", the other whispered back with new hope blooming in his chest.


	9. The Physician's Code of Honor

It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining and a gentle breeze swirled between the residences of Camelot's noble district. The wind danced through the well-kept alleys until it blew out onto one of the wider streets, where it ruffled the mop of raven-black hair on a certain young man's head. Merlin was currently accompanied by Lancelot as they drove a sturdy cart through the upper town of Camelot. The boy tried to get his unruly hair back under control while addressing his friend beside him: "Thank you for letting us borrow the cart from the guard's inventory."

"It's no trouble", Lancelot answered with a shrug, "From what I have gathered the guard captain seems to be a very sensible and caring man. So if you or Gaius ever need something, just say the word."

"That's very reassuring. But usually we have everything to get by. It's just that in this case their home is a bit too far out and... Well dragging him all the way to the court yard would be a little... undignified."

Lancelot hummed in agreement. "So... That noble we're picking up... Who is that exactly?"

"Sir Hampfrey. He used to–" Merlin cleared his throat. "He _is_ a knight of Camelot. A while back he got severely injured on patrol and has been off duty since. So I come here from time to time to check on him, as well as his kids."

"His kids?"

"Yeah, he's got two sons. Lively little buggers. The sweetest, really. But unfortunately li'l Thomas is prone to fevers. He gets sick easily."

"I'm sorry to hear it. Sounds like they have been cursed with a challenging fate."

"Indeed. And speaking of challenges..." Merlin turned to Lancelot with a surprisingly serious face. "Do not under any circumstances say or do anything that could potentially anger the Lady Ludia. She will not hesitate to skin you alive and pierce your head on the fence to make an example out of you."

Lancelot blinked at him in confusion. Was that supposed to be a joke? He tried to decipher the look in the boy's eyes and didn't find an ounce of humor in them. The man gulped. "I'll... keep that in mind."

"Good. Well then, we're there." Merlin gestured to a grand entranceway with an intricately decorated gate. Two watchmen were positioned at the entrance. He waved his hands in greeting and the men returned it with a nod before they opened the way without question.

"Just park the cart over here. It won't fit through the gate."

Lancelot did as suggested. The two left their cart behind and entered into a pompous front yard. The path was lined with impeccably aligned flowers and the hedges were cut to perfection. Even the grass looked exquisite – not a patch of dirt or moss in sight. Was one even allowed to walk upon it, Lancelot wondered. He wouldn't want to accidentally ruin their yard and incur the wrath of the local landlady.

His question was answered, when a little boy peeked his head out from behind a hedge. He seemed to scrutinize him for a while until Merlin stepped up from behind him and into the kid's sight. The boy's face lit up in joy as he immediately rushed across the lawn.

"Merlin!"

"Tommy!" Merlin grinned too and embraced the boy that had all but barreled into him. He fondly ruffled the kid's hair before he crouched down onto eye-level. "How's it going, little knight? Are you guarding the residence?"

"Yup!" The boy proudly puffed his chest out and put a hand on his small wooden practice sword. "I'm protecting mum, dad and Henry from intruders." Then he looked Lancelot over critically and decided to draw the little sword from his belt. He stood protectively in front of Merlin and pointed the 'weapon' at Lance. "Who are you? State your name and purpose or perish by my hand."

Lancelot had never been 'threatened' by someone so small. 'Little knight' indeed. He managed to bite down the giggle that had threatened to bubble up. Judging by the fierce look in his eye, the boy certainly wouldn't appreciate being laughed at. So he decided to go along instead. He saluted properly and stated: "My name is Lancelot, Sir. I am a newly appointed guard and came along to assist the physician's apprentice with his tasks."

The boy narrowed his eyes at him. Then he gave Merlin a questioning look and, upon receiving an affirmation, lowered his sword.

"Ok. You may enter."

"Thank you, boy."

Thomas immediately raised his sword again. "I'm not a boy! I'm already grown up and soon I'll will be knighted!"

"I'm sorry–"

"You better be!" the boy pouted.

Merlin tapped the kid on the shoulder and successfully grabbed his attention. "Hey, Thommy? Do you wanna hear a secret?" Lancelot was baffled by the quick change in demeanor, when the little one gasped and nodded feverishly. Merlin moved closer to the boy and loudly whispered into his ear: "Lancelot is actually a knight, but right now he's under cover as a guard." That... wasn't quite right. But close enough to the truth that Lancelot decided to play along if it meant the boy would trust him.

"Woah! Really?", the boy whispered back loud enough that Lance could hear him clearly.

"Yes, but no one must know this until he has been ceremonially knighted. Can we count on you to keep this between us?"

"Of course! I won't risk your secret mission." Thomas looked up to the guard with newfound awe. Then his face lit up even more, when he apparently got an idea. He looked left and right. Spotting no enemy in sight, he motioned for Lancelot to come closer. The man leaned down so the boy could whisper to him: "If you're a knight... Would you train me?"

"Erm..." Lancelot looked to Merlin, who silently mouthed the word 'parents' and pointed over to the patio on the other side of the garden. "Ok, but only if your parents allow it."

The boy looked slightly put upon, but turned around to get permission. They walked over to a little terrace where Sir Hampfrey was sitting in a cushioned chair and gazed upon a small pond. The kid eagerly ran over to him. Merlin greeted him from afar when he turned to them. Judging by the delight of the boy, he seemingly had gotten what he wanted and darted into the house. Soon he returned with a second wooden sword, which he held over his head triumphantly.

"I challenge thee to a duel!"

This time Lancelot couldn't repress his grin as he accepted his training sword. The boy immediately flung his weapon around in a flashy way that Merlin recognized as an ungraceful imitation of Arthur's cocky opening move from the tournament. He continued to slash and pierce through the air and occasionally hit his opponent's sword. Lancelot did, of course, parry everything the boy threw at him.

Merlin might not condone violence in any way, but... this was too damn cute to watch. Finally Lancelot didn't just parry and actually countered the boy's move. With a swift but careful swipe Thomas was on his bum and pouted up at the tall man before him.

"Not fair. Your legs are way longer then mine."

Lancelot was about to give the kid a lecture about tactics and natural disadvantages, when suddenly Merlin grabbed the boy and hoisted him onto his shoulders. "Then I'll be your legs!"

The boy squealed in delight. Lancelot gaped at him for a second. Merlin jumped around a little and taunted: "What's wrong, Lance? Are you afraid of a long-legged Sir Thomas?"

"Fear the might of Sir Thomas, the Long-legged!" the boy shouted and the two charged at him. Lancelot didn't really know how to deal with this, so they managed to push him back at first. But soon he found his bearings and joined into the playful back and forth.

They were all laughing heartily as they battled each other for a while. As fun as it was, unfortunately this wasn't the reason they had come here. Way too soon Merlin had to put Thomas down again. "You can practice your one on one skills some more, while I take a look at your father, ok?"

"K." Having warmed up to Lancelot the boy wasn't too heartbroken and immediately brandished his sword once again.

Merlin walked over to Sir Hampfrey, who was watching the scene wistfully. The young man kneeled by his side and asked: "May I?"

"Go on", he affirmed with a wave of his hand.

Merlin carefully lifted the man's leg and bend it into different positions. He stretched and pulled the limb in the by now familiar patterns. He continued to massage the muscle in silence, while Hampfrey watched his boy's impromptu training session. Lancelot had meanwhile adopted a less playful and more serious regime. Now it actually looked like sword training. Sir Hampfrey witnessed this ruefully.

"Will I ever be able to train my own son?"

Merlin halted his ministrations of the slack limbs. Glancing upwards he caught the hint of a tear in the man's eyes. Merlin averted his gaze and continued the massage. "You'll get there. The feeling has returned to your arms. The legs will follow. They just need some time."

The man scoffed. "Don't coddle me, Merlin. I haven't managed a single step since that day."

"And yet you have already managed to keep standing for almost a minute. That is the first step before an actual step. I know it's hard, but you need to keep trying. Remember the daily exercises and soon enough you will be outrunning us all."

"Do you really think so?"

"I know it."

Hearing the determination in the young man's voice gave Hampfrey a slither of hope. The boy would move heaven and earth to see him running with his son once more. In the meantime Merlin finished up his work and rose back to his feet. While dusting off his breeches, he spotted the crutch he had left them for practice. It still leaned at the railing exactly the way he had put it...

"You haven't used the crutch, have you?"

The man was silent for a second until he admitted: "No." He continued in a much more pompous tone: "But I can't exactly be seen with such a coarse clot of wood. Sitting at least leaves me some of my dignity."

Merlin raised his eyebrow. He grabbed the crutch and promptly thrust it into the man's face so that it was hovering a few inches away from his eyes. "Sir Hampfrey, I have given you this equipment to further your healing process. It is beneficial to your health, so I demand you use it."

Staring at the offending piece of wood cross-eyed Sir Hampfrey huffed once and grabbed the handle to get it out of his face. Under the watchful eyes of the physician in training he obediently clamped the crutch under his arm and gave his best to hoist himself upwards.

The boy twitched multiple times as he seemingly wanted to assist, but thought better of it. Excruciatingly slowly the knight rose upwards. Merlin procured a tiny hourglass from his satchel and, once the man was finally standing upright, promptly flipped it. Sweat was gathering on Hampfrey's forehead and he was panting in exhaustion. The knight resolutely stared into the distance while he tried to ignore his buckling knees. He didn't try to walk. Keeping upright was enough of a challenge. They stood there in silence until a delighted squeal from Thomas broke his concentration. He flopped back into his chair and closed his eyes in defeat.

Merlin cleared his throat. Hampfrey opened his eyes and spotted the hourglass the boy presented to him. The sand had run down fully. He looked up into Merlin's grinning face. "See? Progress! Next time I'll bring the two-minute glass." The man chuckled at the optimism.

They were interrupted by an excited Thomas running up to them. "Father! Look! Look what I learned!"

The boy proudly presented a series of movements Merlin assumed were the first simple motions of a basic sword drill. The man smiled and announced: "Very good, son. Make sure to practice these steps every day and in time you will become a great swordsman that could rival even Prince Arthur himself."

"Yes, father!" The kid beamed.

Lancelot stepped up into the patio. He acknowledged the knight with a respectful bow. "Sir Hampfrey? I believe it is time for the ceremony, if you're ready..."

The man sighed and once again hoisted himself upwards. "As ready as I can be."

Merlin moved to him and supported the knight from one side while Lancelot took the other. Together they managed to hoist the man across the yard, through the gate and onto the cart.

Thomas had watched the process uncertainly and stopped at the gate. "You will come back, will you father?"

"Of course I will. You can tell your mother that I will be back in time for dinner."

The boy's eyes widened. "It's a contract then."

"Yes it is." Sir Hampfrey nodded gravely.

Merlin ruffled Tommy's hair. "Don't worry. Lancelot and I will make sure, he gets back in time."

"So you're part of the contract too?"

"Errr... No... Not quite, no. But we'll help your dad out so he doesn't breach his part of the agreement." Lancelot noticed a drop of sweat rolling down Merlin's neck. "In fact, we should go now. Wouldn't want to be late, would we?"

* * *

Upon arriving in the courtyard Merlin noted how many people had gathered. It was a strange sight to see so many, yet hear so little of them. Everyone was waiting in solemn silence for the ceremony to start. Merlin tried to make out a spot where they could place a chair for Sir Hampfrey to watch without his view getting blocked.

"Over there." Lancelot steered the cart as close as possible to the front line without becoming a complete nuisance for everyone else. They tried to be as inconspicuous as possible as they assisted the knight to his place in the front line.

As soon as he was seated and the two had blended themselves into the crowd behind him, the king and prince descended from the grand staircase. Whatever little conversation had been ongoing was immediately silenced. Arthur integrated himself into the front line, while Uther stepped up to the neatly stacked pyre. A shroud covered the top half of it to hide the carnage beneath it.

The king turned around so he was facing the people before he intoned: "We have gathered here today to honor one of our most cherished citizens. We shall always remember Sir Mathew as a good and faithful knight, husband and father, who inspired many to follow in his footsteps."

Merlin tried to pay close attention while the king outlined the life of a man he had hardly known. He painted a picture of a loving father, as well as a fierce knight. The deceased left a mourning wife and a young daughter behind. Merlin dared a glance to the women. They seemed only barely able to hold themselves together.

This was his fault. If only he had learned the spell quicker. If only he had seen through Arthur's stupid trick in time. If–

His thoughts halted, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Barely audible Lancelot whispered into his ear. "It's not your fault."

"But if I–"

"You _saved_ all the others. The knights, the prince and the people. All of them are safe because of you."

"I could have saved him too."

Lancelot apparently didn't know how to answer that. So Merlin turned his attention back to Uther. "... Once again we have proof that magic bares nothing but death and destruction. Even though the foul beast has been dealt with, we must be ever vigilant in the face of sorcery."

Does every one of the king's speeches have to end as anti-magic propaganda? Merlin tuned out the rest of the monologue until finally Uther made way for the wife. The woman's hands were trembling as she accepted a torch from the prince. She composed herself and didn't falter on her way to light the pyre.

Once the fire burned merrily, the king announced the opening of the funeral feast for everyone interested. Slowly most of the watchers puttered after the king to feast in the deceased name.

Most of the people had left by now, but Sir Hampfrey still stared into the licking flames. Merlin and Lance waited for him dutifully, but it was getting late. If they didn't leave soon, the man might be late for the promised dinner with his family. Merlin didn't wish the impending fury of the Lady upon the man, so he carefully approached him.

"Sir Hampfrey?"

Upon getting beside the knight he saw the dried tear tracks on the man's cheeks. "The stupid bugger just had to go before me, hadn't he?"

Merlin swallowed and clenched his fists tightly. He would have to do better next time.

* * *

Usually, the lessons Gaius gave his charge focused solely on medical topics like herbs, anatomy or common symptoms for illnesses. But sometimes... Just sometimes, if he was in a good mood and the day hadn't been too exhausting... On those nights he would lock the door that was usually open all night in case of emergency and he would sit Merlin down to tell him about the magic of old.

Merlin loved those nights. The old man painted a fantastical world in which dragons used to roam the skies and sorcerers were welcomed even into the king's court. But even though the history of magic interested him deeply, he found even greater joy in learning about magic theory. The teachings of the elements and the flow of life actually helped him understand his own power better. With every new aspect of magic he discovered, a new piece of himself seemed to slot into place. So he always listened attentively whenever Gaius treated him to a new concept that might help him grasp the workings of the world a little better. Today he had learned about something he hadn't heard or seen ever before in his life: Magical runes.

"So, to summarize: There's a set of symbols that can be used to focus magic into producing various effects without speaking an incantation?"

Gaius nodded in confirmation. "That is correct. The main use of spells is to focus the mind as to not let it stray and disrupt the intended course magic is supposed to take. If the practitioner were to be distracted while shaping the flow of energy, the process would fail and in the worst case backfire upon the user. In a sense runes replace the formulated spell by giving them shape in the physical realm. Thus they are more stable, less likely to falter and generally easier to use as long as the rune is carved precisely."

"Do they have any advantages aside from stability? Because quite frankly it sounds much more circuitous to write something down instead of just saying it. Especially if you need something done quickly."

"In fact they do, because you can prepare them in advance and even utilize them from afar without the caster needing to be present himself."

Merlin hummed considering. "But if the rune can be powered far away from its sorcerer, where does the energy come from exactly? Is it connected to its carver and draws upon their magic as soon as it's activated? Wait, no. That would need a constant link and unbroken concentration from the user to uphold it. No way that would be practical... Are the runes somehow charged in advance for later use?"

The old man smiled at that conclusion. "Exactly. Though it isn't the rune itself that gets charged. It acts more like a gateway in that regard. The thing being enriched with magic is actually the material the rune is carved in. Because of that the amount of power a rune can hold varies greatly depending on the object it is used on."

"What would be good materials to hold magic?"

"Certain types of stones and woods are the most common conducts. Hazel, rowan, willow and oak to name a few. The most efficient ones however are crystals. Unfortunately, those are very pricey and difficult to carve onto."

"Does this mean, I could just, I don't know, pick up some twig outside, scratch a rune into it and it catches fire?"

"You could scratch a rune into this very table and it would catch fire. Only if someone were to activate it through contact and intend though."

"Contact and intent? No magic to initiate it?"

"Not necessarily, since the magic is already held within."

Merlin's mouth fell open at that. "Does that mean someone without magic could use the runes someone else has set for them?"

"In theory... Yes. But to set them up that way requires great skill and proficiency. Only an enchanter of master level could achieve such a rune sensitive enough to activate on its own. However, it is a different matter entirely, if the rune is activated constantly. For example: People used to engrave their tools with the rune _Eihwaz,_ which symbolizes stability, strength and reliability. This made them more durable compared to mundane ones. Said rune would be activated immediately after carving and stay that way until the imbedded magic ran out or got recharged."

"That sounds handy."

"Indeed. Tools like these used to be in high demand. The enchanter's guild always had its hands full." Gaius' gaze glazed over a bit as he remembered things long forgotten and lives long lost.

Merlin caught onto his mentor's melancholy and tried to distract him back into magic theory. "Ok. So _Eiwaz_ for stability. What kind of runes are useful for healing?"

The old man's eyes lit up again as he launched back into his lesson. "The most important rune in our profession would be _Sowulo_." He scratched a kind of ragged 'S' without curves onto a piece of parchment. "It generally translates to 'sun', but also symbolizes strength, energy, health and success."

Merlin watched as he wrote some more runes down. They seemed kind of crude – all sharp angles and straight lines without any curves. Gaius continued: "But all of them have their uses, if you know how to apply them. _Isa –_ ice and standstill – may be used to lower fever or slow down bleeding, while _Laguz –_ water and flow – would increase blood circulation."

"Amazing." Merlin gazed at the unassuming scribbles and tried to memorize them properly. "Is there one for protection, too?"

"Of course." He wrote something down that looked similar to an 'Y', just with an extra line at the top.

It fascinated Merlin how such a small change could turn a simple letter into a symbol of power. It was so easy. And so many people could benefit from it. "So if we were to engrave that into the knight's armor and shields–"

"Merlin!" The boy's thoughts smacked into a wall upon his mentor's sudden exclaim. "You mustn't use these! That's practically asking to get your head chopped off."

"What? But–"

"No 'but', Merlin! The knights might have no idea what each rune symbolizes, but they are trained to recognize druidic markings. If any kind of scratch in their vicinity vaguely resembles a rune, they will start another witch hunt."

Merlin was truly baffled. "What good is learning any of this, if I am not allowed to use my knowledge? This would help so many people! Wh–"

"This would only help you into an early grave."

The boy smacked his hands on the table. "What's the point of teaching me then?!"

Gaius faltered a bit. "The pursuit of knowledge is an admirable goal in and of—"

"Don't you dare quote Geoffrey on me. At least use your own excuses."

The old man huffed. He sometimes forgot how much time Merlin had already spent coped up in the library with none but the old librarian as company. "I thought you enjoyed your academic studies."

"I also enjoy putting them to good use. I learn about illnesses to cure people, about plants to grow them, about creatures to recognize and if necessary get rid of them. "

"And like so, you should learn about different kinds of magic to recognize and if necessary counter them."

"So I can sus' someone out, if they are using an especially sturdy hoe?"

"No", Gaius answered sharply, "So you can recognize the meaning of runes like _Nauthiz_ and _Inguz_ and may realize that those are perfectly harmless on their own, but when combined might just cause a famine! Unless _someone_ were to destroy the markings of course."

Merlin stared at his mentor for a moment before he let out a huff of air and lowered his gaze back onto the harmless looking scribbles. "Sorry."

Gaius also huffed out a sigh and announced: "I think this is enough for today." He grabbed the parchment and was about to toss it into the hearth, but Merlin stopped him by catching his sleeve.

The old man was about to go into another condescending speech about leaving treasonous evidence lying around, until he saw the chastised look in the boy's eyes. He waited a second until Merlin meekly inquired:

"Which ones are _Nauthiz_ and _Inguz?"_

* * *

Merlin knocked a cheerful rhythm onto the door of Morgana's chambers. Upon hearing her answer, he swung the door open and announced: "Exclusive potion delivery! At your service."

Morgana chuckled while Merlin deposited her sleeping potions for the next few days in the designated box next to her bed. Without further ado he took his usual seat at their little tea–table next to the fireplace. She put away the brush she had been using and joined him. "Gwen should be here any minute now. But before she's back I wanted to ask you... Does she seem... different to you as of late?"

Merlin smirked. "As in distracted, easy to fluster and eager to finish her work quickly so she can enjoy some free time?"

"So you noticed it too."

"And I have a pretty solid idea what or rather who is to blame."

Now it was Morgana's turn to smirk. "I knew it! Come on, Merlin. Spill it! Who is the lucky guy?"

If he had his usual cup of tea right now, he would have taken a very slow sip to leave her hanging just a little longer. He greatly enjoyed being the most informed on the latest gossip for once. Alas he didn't have any and the topic of this particular story was about to arrive here, so: "Have you heard about Lancelot?"

"The peasant that Arthur all but knighted?" she asked in an exited manner.

"The very same."

Morgana gave a low whistle at that. Just that moment a knock sounded at the door. Gwen didn't wait for permission to enter and proceeded to set their tea down. However the tea set wasn't the only thing on her tray.

"Look what's just arrived for you."

Merlin picked up his cup and slowly savored the first sip of tea. Morgana meanwhile accepted a beautiful bouquet of flowers and inhaled the sweet fragrance.

"Who are they from?"

"I don't know. Maybe Arthur?"

Merlin promptly spluttered his tea back out.

_"Merlin",_ Gwen chided.

Some of it had ended up in the wrong pipe. So he sat there coughing for a while until he got out: "Sorry. - **_cough_** \- But the day that brute picks a bouquet of flowers - **_cough_** \- the world will come to an end."

Gwen gave him a reprehensive look. Morgana on the other hand: "I'm with Merlin on this. Arthur has the romantic capacity of a teaspoon."

"Yeah. I feel sorry for the poor soul who eventually ends up being courted by him."

"Don't you two think, you're being a little unfair to him?"

"No", they chorused.

"Well, if you don't _want_ them–" Gwen made a move to grab the bouquet.

"Sorry Gwen", Morgana interrupted, "Of course I do. Would you place them on my nightstand, please?"

"Of course", Gwen said with a smile and fetched a vase from a cupboard so she could position the flowers right next to Morgana's pillows.

Merlin leaned over to the lady and surreptitiously whispered in her ear: "If by chance they do end up being from Arthur, do I have permission to burn them?"

Morgan seemed to think this over. "Mhm... Yes, but keep the ashes. I want to throw them in his face."

"Deal."

* * *

Never would Merlin have expected to watch over what was essentially Morgana's death bed only two days later. He stared intently at her still and way too pale form while Gaius tried to explain the situation to Uther for what felt like the hundredth time.

"Her body seems to have closed down."

"Why? You don't have an answer do you? Nothing you've tried so far has worked. It's been nearly two days. And what do you know?"

"I fear she may have some form of inflammation of the brain."

"What could cause such a thing?"

"An infection, possibly, rest assured, I will do everything in my power to cure her, Sire."

"You better make sure she recovers fully or else–" The king stopped there. Merlin didn't know if he caught himself before he said something he would later regret or if he simply wanted to leave the consequences up to their imagination. Either way the king stormed out of the room without another word.

Merlin watched for a while as Gaius continued his examination. "Do you really think, it's an inflammation?"

"As I already said, unfortunately, I'm not sure."

"But I saw her just the day before. She showed no sign of any cognitive issues. She was as witty as ever and Gwen assures me that Morgana would have told her, if she had any headaches. But... nothing!"

"It's the only explanation I have left. It would be an unusual quick development, but it's not unheard of."

_"Yes it is_ – for someone her age!"

"Merlin, I know this must be difficult for you. You have never lost a patient before, but you have to understand that we aren't omniscient. Even given our best efforts... We cannot cure everyone."

"But these aren't our _best_ efforts, are they?" He threw his mentor a suggestive as well as accusing glare.

"No, Merlin. This is not a magical illness. It must be cured by conventional means. We keep trying. See if you can get me some fresh rosemary from the garden."

"There must be something more I can–"

"And yarrow."

* * *

Merlin didn't sleep that night. He poured over one book after another – mundane as well as magical – but so far he hadn't had any luck. He unconsciously muttered under his breath: "It _could_ be an overreaction of her own body, I guess... But Gwen would have realized, if she had eaten anything unusual."

He was _this_ close to throwing the useless books into the stove, but fortunately for Gaius research material there was a knock on the door. Arthur entered and looked around the room.

"Is Gaius in?"

"No. He's with Morgana right now."

Hearing this, the prince didn't manage to hide his concerned grimace in time. "How is she?"

Merlin sighed deeply and steeled himself for the very answer he had been fighting tooth and nail for the past few days. "Gaius can't preserve her life for much longer. She has hours, maybe less."

Arthur's eyes widened in shock. "What?! We cannot let her die!"

"Do you think I want this?! There's nothing we can do!"

The prince started to furiously pace through the room. Merlin was a second away from ordering him out, because he couldn't concentrate on his research. But then the prince announced: "There's a man, he came to the castle yesterday. He claims he can cure her."

"What?" Merlin exclaimed hopefully, but his enthusiasm quickly turned to skepticism. "Wait. How would he? He couldn't possibly know what's wrong with her."

"He says he has a remedy that can cure all ills."

Merlin raised his brow. "Unlikely", he deadpanned.

"Well, for Morgana's sake, surely we should at least hear him out. I mean, what've we got to lose?"

"You are aware that there are charlatans out there that pretend to be physicians and promise fantastical cures only to poach some coin out of suffering people?"

"I don't care! If she's about to die, what harm can it do? Give him his shilling! If there's one chance in a million he can save her, then why not?"

Merlin was still very skeptical, but he agreed. If there was at least a slight chance of saving Morgana, he would take it.

"Where do we find this man?"

* * *

The man who called himself Edwin was eager to help them. The only thing he asked for was someone to help him carry his instruments. Merlin gladly volunteered and followed the man into his room in the inn. Upon entering he stopped in his tracks and stared at the scene with awe. The small room was littered in apparitions of many a kind. Some he recognized from Gaius' equipment, but the vast majority eluded him. He couldn't even begin to fathom what use these rings with spheres that circled each other could possibly provide.

"What _is_ this stuff?"

Edwin continued to pack some of the things while causally answering: "It was all originally designed for alchemy."

"Making gold?"

The man halted his movements. That was not the kind of reaction he was used too. It was rare these days to find someone, who was even marginally versed about alchemy. "Oh? You have an interest in science?"

"Well, science is knowledge."

Edwin smiled at this. He had found a kindred spirit it seemed. "It has the answers to everything."

"I don't think so. Science answers a lot, but it can't explain love."

Oh? Not just science, but philosophy too? What an interesting boy. "So, you are in love?"

"No. I meant... feelings in a general sense, emotions."

"You're a bright lad. Who are you exactly?"

"I'm Merlin, the court physician's apprentice."

The man was surprised to hear this. "You're apprenticed to Gaius?" – _'The traitor'_ he'd decidedly did not add.

"You know him?"

"Well, I know _of_ him. His reputation reaches far after all." Oh, how he knew him. He would never forget the face of the man who just stood by and watched while his own face melted into a mess of charred flesh.

"I didn't know he was that famous."

"He is somewhat of a legend in our circles." Though he didn't say what the old man was infamously known for. On that note: It became increasingly more difficult for Edwin to hide his contempt, but he still managed to utter somewhat civilly: "You should be honored to study under him."

The boy smiled to himself. "I am."

Edwin hid his urge to retch by piling the rest of the equipment into the boy's arms. "We should hurry to the Lady Morgana. Before it is too late."

* * *

"Sire, I would be grateful if you could have everyone leave the room. I require peace and privacy."

"Certainly." King and prince immediately turned to leave the room, while Gaius and Merlin positioned themselves at the side to watch and possibly offer a helping hand, but...

"That includes the two of you, Gaius."

"But we are eager to learn from your methods."

"Now is not the time for giving instruction. I will need all my concentration."

Merlin tried to assure the man: "We'll be quiet. You won't even realize we're here. I promise."

But Uther put a hand onto his old friend's shoulder and gave him a look. "Gaius..."

Edwin waited until every last one of them had left before he carefully opened his box with the Elanthia Beetles. To think the king would leave him alone with the precious ward just like that... This turned out easier than expected. He was about to speak the incantation to remove the bug, when he felt a presence behind him. Ah, so they weren't as gullible as he had thought. He turned around sharply.

"Why are you spying on me?"

The intruder turned out to be some kind of servant. The girl seemed to regard him with some suspicion. "I wasn't. I'm her maidservant."

Well, he couldn't have that. She needed to go. "Then bring me some water."

"Someone should be with her."

'You don't say', he thought with amusement. This servant actually seemed to care enough to stand up for her lady's safety. In that case he knew exactly how to get rid of her: "Do you want to be responsible for her death?"

Now this seemed to stump her. "No, but..."

"Then you will bring me some water. Now! Or she may die."

The girl hurried out of the room. Edwin grinned to himself. Yes, this was indeed way easier than he had ever dreamed.

* * *

Merlin leaned against the wall as he pouted. To think the man had actually thrown them out of their patient's room. The nerve. As if they of all people would have made a ruckus to endanger Morgana's life further. He sighed heavily. It probably wouldn't matter either way. If Gaius didn't know how to cure her, then this man probably–

"Great news, Your Majesty! You will be glad to hear it is not an inflammation of the brain." Edwin came flying down the stairs excitedly.

Uther was beside him immediately. "What is it then?"

"It is cerebral haemorrhage."

Gaius seemed skeptical. "Haemorrhage? I don't think so."

And neither did Merlin. They had actually dismissed that idea pretty quickly. If it was a haemorrhage, there would have been–

"I found this trace of blood in her ear."

Merlin stared at the bloody cloth. But– But how– What– How could they have missed this?

"God in heaven", Uther muttered.

Edwin took the time to explain the ramifications of this to the king. Merlin meanwhile was still staring at the cloth in shock. If it had been a haemorrhage all along...

"Just thank the fates that you did not administer more rosemary to stimulate the circulation. Can you imagine what that might have done?"

Uther turned to Gaius for explanation, but it was the shell rocked Merlin that answered: "It would have increased the bleed."

* * *

Later that day Merlin coped himself up in the library to search for more information on international bleeding. He still couldn't believe they had misdiagnosed Morgana this spectacularly. Their attempts at healing her had only made matters worse. If Edwin hadn't come along in the nick of time... He shuddered.

But this opened up a new question: How on earth had he been able to completely heal her in just a few hours? Stemming the flow enough so the wound could heal would take multiple potions administered over the course of _at least_ a whole day – Trending to multiple days, if not _weeks._ And that didn't even take into account that they had accelerated the blood flow with rosemary. Giving the patient something strong enough to slow it down this fast would be accompanied by incredible risks. So how the hell had he done it? It must have something to do with those alchemy apparitions. Maybe he should just go and ask the man. Though... So far he hadn't been very forthcoming with his methods. Why didn't he want anyone present for his treatment? Sharing new findings with the medical community was an essential part of being a physician after all... Maybe a little investigating on his part could–

His thought process was interrupted when he heard Geoffrey excitedly welcoming Gaius into the library.

The physician embraced his old friend heartily, but cut the small reunion short: "Geoffrey, I'm here to ask a favour of you."

"Well, anything for an old friend." The librarian was still grinning. It had been way too long since they had seen each other. They should meet over a good cup of tea sometime.

"I wish to see the court records from the time of the Great Purge."

The smile promptly slipped off his face. "What possible need can you have for those?"

"I fear that the past may have come back to haunt us."

"All the more reason to keep the records hidden."

"I know that neither of us want to remember that time, but this is a matter of great urgency."

"The records are sealed, they cannot be opened. Uther has forbidden it." How could Gaius ask this of him? He knew how the king reacted if those times were so much as hinted at.

"Geoffrey, I beg of you."

"I'm sorry, Gaius. This time you ask too much. Even for me."

**_"Herr-Hem."_ **

They both turned to the pointed clear of a throat next to them. Merlin had approached and was currently raising his hand to indicate that he had a question.

"Boy. We are kind of in the middle of something."

Seeing that he had the librarian's attention Merlin lowered his hand, but ignored his statement. Instead he announced: "Sir Geoffrey, I would like to borrow the court records from the time of the Great Purge."

The old men stared at him in confusion. Then Geoffrey exclaimed: "As I _just_ said, those are off limits!"

Merlin made a show of wrinkling his brow in confusion. "How can they be off limits to me? As by the king's decree I have... How was it? _Unrestricted access_ to the library?"

Both men gaped at him. Geoffrey tried to object. "That's–"

"Technically true", Gaius finished.

"Both of you are aware that this is not how it works."

"Geoffrey, please. There's a great deal at stake."

"Come on, Sir. You know he wouldn't ask if it wasn't important."

The librarian looked from one pleading face to another. This was madness! Utter madness! "If Uther were to discover this, he would kill all three of us."

"It is for Uther's sake that I make the request. Trust me, please."

Geoffrey gazed into the genuine eyes of his best friend and his student. Finally he caved in, sighed deeply and turned to get the records from the _'restricted'_ archives of the library. Once he returned he gave Gaius a pointed look while handing the book to Merlin.

"Thank you, old friend."

"Please don't mention it... literally." The librarian huffed and made a shooing motion. "Now off with you two."

Merlin grinned and left with his mentor. As soon as the library doors closed behind them, he immediately handed he book over to Gaius. The old man took it with a smile. "Thank you, my boy."

"Anytime", he said with a wink. Now back to his own research...

* * *

What an interesting boy indeed. Edwin had been surprised when he had entered his chambers to find Gaius' apprentice standing over his box with the beetles – Beetles that were very much awake. A noteworthy feat for someone, who most probably hadn't been properly trained in the art. Somehow the boy intrigued him more every time he saw him. Moreover his magic would make for excellent leverage, if the old traitor were to try something. But maybe he could get the lad on his side instead. It would certainly be useful to have an accomplice. He only needed to win him over from Gaius. Which shouldn't be too difficult considering the old man's stance on magic.

"A gift like yours should be nurtured, practised, enjoyed. You need someone to help you, to encourage you."

"Perhaps."

The boy smiled. Oh, yes. He was eager for someone to give him a little encouragement in the right direction. This shouldn't be too difficult. "Imagine what we could achieve, if we shared our knowledge."

"That would be great!" Edwin mentality cheered at his success. The boy eagerly continued: "Would you allow me a first question then?"

"Go on."

"How do the bugs work?"

"What?" That... was not the first thing he had expected.

The boy must have mistaken his reaction for confusion, so he elaborated: "You just said that the bugs helped you to cure Morgana. How did they do it?"

Edwin floundered. "They– The bugs..." On one hand he didn't want to enclose any information on his deadly beetles. On the other hand he had to give the boy _something_ , if he wanted to earn his trust. "They... They secret a certain fluid that can stem the blood flow."

The lad gaped at him. "You trained bugs to crawl into people's brains and take a shit in there?" It was hard to tell whether the boy was fascinated, incredulous or utterly disgusted.

"Well, a little magical nudge in the right direction is still necessary, but yes. That's the gist of it."

Merlin stared into the middle distance with a horrified look in his eyes when he stated: "Morgana must never know this."

"Indeed." Edwin cleared his throat. "Can I count on your secrecy then? Regarding these and the other _delicate_ matters?

"Of course."

Well... at least he had his promise. "People like you and I, we must look after each other."

The boy only managed a disturbed nod.

* * *

Gwen and Merlin had decided to celebrate Morgana's recovery with an especially lavish tea party. Merlin had decorated her chambers with all kinds of flowers that were home to his little garden. So the room now practically burst with blooming herbs and a whole lot of roses. Meanwhile Gwen had bartered with the cook for some of her finest sweet rolls and egg tarts. The Lady would return from her meeting with the king shortly. Thankfully they were almost finished. Gwen helped Merlin bind the last rose garland to the bedpost while keeping up conversation.

"... It's not that I'm not grateful to him for healing Morgana or anything, but... He's kind of giving me the creeps."

"Is this about the scar?", Merlin ventured.

"No! No, gods no. I didn't mean– At least I don't think– No, that would be terribly unfair", she rambled. "I mean... Don't you think it was a little... suspicious? How he cured her? I stumbled in on his treatment and he basically threatened me to get me out of the room. And he still hasn't told anyone how he did it, didn't he? Why would he not tell at least Gaius?"

"Oh, he has a very good reason to keep that secret."

She turned to him in surprise. "So you know then, why he didn't want anyone to watch him?"

Gwen was worried when Merlin's gaze seemed to slip somewhere far away. "I do. And believe me, if Morgana ever finds out what he did, I want to be a save distance away. Preferably at least a good day's ride behind Camelot's farthest borderline."

An uncomfortable shudder went down her spine. It was that bad? "What did he do?"

Merlin hesitated. He had promised not to tell anyone after all. Fortunately for him just that second the doors flew open. "What a scheming, sleazy dung beetle!"

"Morgana?" The two turned around to see the lady marching into her chambers. She banged the door shut again and immediately let herself fall into her seat at the set table.

Only after she had taken the first calming sip of tea did Merlin dare to ask: "Err... Who exactly is a scheming dung beetle?"

"Edwin. You wouldn't believe his nerve. He's undermining Gaius' position at court."

"What? How?"

"He's miscrediting his work and questions whether he's able to fulfill his duty to the crown. You should have heard him. _'Age can be a terrible curse.'_ He's making it sound like Gaius is some senile infirm!"

Both Merlin's and Gwen's mouth fell open at that. It was Gwen that ventured hesitantly: "But of course... neither the king nor the prince would entertain such a thought... would they?"

Morgana sighed. "Unfortunately he's doing it quite skillfully. He's buttering the king up with his boot-lickery, refuses some official reward and slowly sows doubts about Gaius' methods. He's putting himself up as the perfect replacement and sells it to Uther in a way that makes him think it was his own idea."

Merlin scrunched up his face. "But why would he do this?"

Both girls gave him a look. "Merlin. There's plenty reason someone would want to get promoted to court physician. Gaius has a place on the council. Uther listens to him. That's a powerful position to be in. He's under direct command as well as protection of the king himself. If you manage to get such a duty at court, you're set for life."

"But... But that's not what a physician is." The girls only looked at him in confusion, so he continued: "Physicians aren't out for power. That would completely oppose the Physician's Code of Honor."

"Physicians have a Code of Honor? Like the knights?" Gwen seemed genuinely interested.

Merlin was happy to explain: "Of course! Every physician should abide by the six principles:

To heal and care with compassion and respect.

To uphold honesty in all professional interactions.

To safeguard the patient's confidence and privacy.

To continuously study and apply the advancing methods of healing.

To contribute to the improvement of the medical community's knowledge.

To provide healing and care for all people without bias or personal gain."

"Huh, I didn't know that."

Morgana seemed to ponder this for a second. "What do you mean exactly by safeguarding confidence and privacy?"

"Well... Generally speaking: If a patient asks to keep their condition secret, the physician is sworn to secrecy. Let's say for example a young woman would be ailed by terrible nausea day by day. Now, she could have caught some kind of illness and be in dire need of a cure. She could also be pregnant out of wedlock. And if that were to get public, it could very well ruin her life. So... If said woman didn't have trust in her physician's secrecy, she..."

"... might make some decisions, she would later regret", Morgana finished. "I see..." The lady seemed strangely considering.

Gwen decided to get back to topic. "So you were saying that Edwin striving to replace Gaius would go against the sixth principle to heal without personal gain."

"Exactly. Also: I'd say kicking one of the most successful medical researchers of our time out of his career would oppose the fifth as well."

Morgana ventured: "But you are aware that not all people really abide by those Codes, do you? You of all people know that not all knights are honorable."

"But Edwin isn't just some random charlatan. Morgana, your illness was no joke. We were at the end of our rope. If Edwin hadn't been around, you would probably be dead by now."

Both girls gulped at that. "Be that as it may... Being skilled and being honorable are two different things entirely. Believe it or not, he is trying to get rid of Gaius. I say we keep an eye on him just in case."

Merlin grudgingly accepted. Better save then sorry after all.

After a little awkward pause Morgana let out a deep breath of air and picked the conversation up again. "I'm sorry for crashing in with such a sore topic. Maybe I should enter the room again to react properly. What is all this?" She gestured to all the flowers adorning her chambers.

"Oh, right!", Gwen straightened up and after they did two tiny nods to coordinate their timing they both exclaimed: "Congratulations for your recovery!"

Morgana laughed when Merlin threw some rose petals in the air. The rest of the evening was spend with much more fun conversation.

* * *

Merlin woke up early the next morning. He had promised Edwin to arrange some fresh herbs for him. So he wanted to start the day early and tend to his garden before the castle awoke fully. He quickly changed into proper clothes, grabbed his satchel and sneaked to the door as quietly as he could. Just because he had to get up early didn't mean Gaius had to loose any well deserved sleep over it too. For once in his life he actually managed to open the door to his room without it squeaking. He had just finished congratulating himself in his mind, when he realized that his little victory hadn't mattered at all.

"Gaius? Why are you up already?"

"Mm?" The old man looked up from his place at the table. He looked like shit, Merlin thought to himself. "Oh, Merlin. You're up early."

"Err, yeah. But... Are you alright?" Merlin was getting worried. He put down his satchel and sat down beside his mentor. Multiple possible causes flitted through his mind that could be at fault here. He raised his hand to the old man's forehead so he could check for a fever.

Gaius huffed indignantly as he pushed the hand away. "Would you not– Merlin! I'm not ill. Just tired."

"Tired?" He gave him another look over. "Have you been up all night?"

"More or less, yes. And where are you going?"

"I told Edwin I'd be up at dawn to collect some supplies."

Merlin didn't miss the little flinch Edwin's name seemed to cause. "Well, you better get a move on then."

"Ok, since I'm already going... Do you want me to get you anything?"

"No, I'm fine. Just do what Edwin asks." There was a strange tone of resignation sounding through his voice. Maybe Morgana was right and he really did try to get Gaius out of the picture somehow.

"Well... ok." Merlin hesitated. He grabbed his satchel again and made for the door, but halted. "You know... Edwin isn't my master." He turned back to Gaius. _"You_ are. So if there's anything I could help you with..."

Merlin could have sworn, he had seen tears in the man's eyes. But he blinked and they were gone as quickly as they had come. Gaius took a deep breath before he answered. "You have a good heart, Merlin. Don't ever loose that."

The boy was very confused by that reaction. He wanted to question him about it, but Gaius made a shooing motion. "Now go. The supplies won't gather themselves."

Merlin couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong here, but swallowed his curiosity. He would question the old man over dinner. Or maybe tomorrow. Yes. He would wait with his interrogation until the old man had actually gotten some sleep.

* * *

He would definitely _NOT_ wait till he had gotten some sleep. Why the sudden change of plan, you wonder? Well... Merlin was just leaving his garden with a nice fruitful harvest of excellent herbs, when he noticed Gaius sneaking through a side alley. That's right. He didn't _walk._ He _sneaked_. Like... suspicious as hell. And when Merlin made the snap decision to follow him quietly, he stood witness as the old man took out a small vial and threw it at a door. Not just any old door mind you, no. A door where two guards were... well... standing guard. And now said guards were slumping and quickly falling asleep.

"Did– Did Gaius just drug some guards???" What the actual fuck was going on?

He watched in utter confusion as the old man walked over to them, took a key and entered through the door. Merlin stared at the scene uncomprehendingly. Then he stumbled after him. Behind the door was... darkness. In the distance he could hear Gaius' slowly receding footsteps. He made to follow him and almost managed to fall down, because he hadn't expected a staircase.

As he carefully made his way down, he deliberated on creating a light so he wouldn't have to blindly stumble along the cave wall– Wait a second. _Cave_ wall? He inspected the wall he was leaning on more closely. That wasn't the smooth brick stone anymore. It felt rough and natural. And then he felt something different. Not with his fingers, but with his magic. He gazed at the deeper part of the tunnel. There was something down there. Something magical. But the feeling was faint. Muffled somehow. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. He tried to concentrate on the feeling, but all he got was a strange pull towards it. Like some kind of... calling? He reopened his eyes he hadn't realize were closed. Where the hell was his mentor going?

Just then he realized Gaius' footsteps had stopped. He wanted to sprint after him as to not miss anything, but then the sound reappeared. Gaius was walking again. More quickly it seemed... almost running and... were the steps getting louder?

"Oh shit."

Merlin hastily turned around and made for the exit as fast as he could. He resisted his victory shout when he finally saw some light falling in from the slid under the door. He fled from the tunnel and hid himself where he had stood before. The boy didn't have to wait long until Gaius exited the tunnel too. He was panting heavily from the treck up the stairs, but didn't waste any time and returned the keys. He quickly gathered the shards on the ground and finally turned around so Merlin could see his face.

The boy couldn't repress a small gasp. Gaius looked pained. Not just from extortion, but emotionally exhausted. There was terror in his eyes as well as a great sadness. And something more... guilt? He looked immensely guilty and somehow Merlin had a feeling it wasn't because he had just done some breaking and entering. He didn't have enough time to decipher everything hidden in those eyes before Gaius rushed back in the direction of their home.

Merlin was torn. Gaius looked like he needed help, but also... What the hell was hidden down there? Now that he had felt a connection to it, he recognized the pull even from up here. Was it just his curiosity or was there something more to it? He hadn't even realized how he had stepped closer to the door, when suddenly one of the guards moved. They were starting to wake up. Decision made for him, he turned back to the physician chambers.

On the way his thoughts were in utter disarray. He couldn't make heads or tails of anything that had just happened. He was so occupied with his mind that it came as no surprise when he bumped into someone coming around a corner.

"Oh! Merlin, there you are!"

"Lance! Hi. Err, good to see–"

"Have you heard?" Merlin was surprised, when he got cut off by the usually polite Lancelot.

He took a second to appreciate that his range of intel now also concluded whatever juicy stuff the guards of Camelot overheard. Unfortunately Merlin really didn't have the mental capacity for gossiping right now, but the urgency with which Lancelot had asked made him wary. "Have I heard what?"

"The king! He decided to sack Gaius!"

_"WHAT?!"_

* * *

Gaius was currently deliberating how much of his equipment he could reasonably carry by himself when Merlin barreled into the physician's chambers. "Gaius! Uther cannot do this to you. You tried to save Morgana."

Here we go then. He had dreaded this conversation. "Uther's not to blame."

"I will speak to Edwin. You can work together."

"No! You mustn't do anything." If Edwin suspected Merlin of working against him, he would–

"I can't stand by and do nothing."

"Uther's right. It's time I stepped down." With that depressing conclusion Gaius resumed his packing.

Merlin stared at him open-mouthed. "What are you doing?"

"I cannot stay when there's no longer a use for me."

"You're _leaving?"_

"I believe it's for the best."

Merlin gaped at him some more. Then he took a deep breath before finally concluding with: "Ok."

_OK?_ Just like that? Gaius turned around in confusion, only to see the boy had run up to his own room. That... had gone way too easy. His suspicions were confirmed when Merlin came back with his own backpack and started gathering provisions.

"No, Merlin. Your place is here in Camelot."

"My place is wherever the hell you're going. You're the only reason I even came to Camelot! To learn from you!"

"Merlin, you're like a son to me. I never expected such a blessing so late in life."

"And you are more than a father to me."

Gaius' old heart did a painful leap in his chest. He swallowed. "Then, as a father, I must tell you, you have to remain here. Camelot is where you belong."

"But you belong here too."

"Not anymore. Merlin, you must promise me you will not waste your gifts."

"My gifts mean nothing without you to guide me and there is so much I have yet to learn. I need you to teach me." Tears were gathering in the boy's eyes.

"I'm afraid I am leaving here tonight, Merlin. And there's nothing you can do or say that can persuade me otherwise."

"I will not let this happen." With that he stormed out of the chambers.

Gaius wistfully gazed after him. "Goodbye, Merlin."

* * *

Merlin didn't know exactly _how_ he would do this, but he knew he had to do something. So... What was the exact problem here? The king. Obviously. Like always. But he couldn't just run up and shout the man into seeing sense. So his best bet was probably on Arthur and Morgana. The lady had already tried to reason with him, but failed. Maybe if they both confronted him, they would stand a chance. He just needed to convince this little daddy's-boy to go against his father... Great.

He found the prince torturing some poor training dummies. Good. At least he wasn't interrupting something important.

"Hey there."

Arthur didn't even glance at him, but sheathed his sword anyway. "Is this about Gaius?"

Merlin huffed. "Of course this is about Gaius!"

"The decision has already been made, Merlin."

"But– But I can't understand why Uther would sack him over one mistake."

"A mistake that nearly killed Morgana. Besides, it wasn't the only one." Arthur turned towards the refreshment barrels and took one of the nearby towels to wash away some of his sweat.

"What do you mean?"

"Edwin said his work was riddled with errors."

Merlin stared at him uncomprehending while the prince drank some deep gulps of water. Once he was finished, Merlin declared: "That's nonsense."

"How would you know?" Arthur finally turned to him. "You only ever learned from him. If he taught you outdated methods–"

_"Outdated?_ Did you say _outdated?"_

"Merlin, you can't deny that he's an old man. So he can't be blamed to not have kept up with resent discoveries."

Merlin still gaped at him. "You're serious." He shook his head. "Are you aware, that half of the 'resent discoveries' as you called them are actually _from him?_ He's constantly researching new methods of treatment, whenever he has the time. It's his life's work to push the medical community forward!"

Now it was Arthur's turn to stare at him. But he quickly composed himself. "Be that as it may, if he doesn't keep taps on the discoveries made by other people–"

"Every market day I go down into the lower town for him to ask all herb-sellers and wandering physicians, if they have heard of any new breakthroughs."

"Well, Edwin said–"

"Clearly Edwin wants Gaius gone! Of course he undermines him wherever he can. The sleazebag is getting more and more suspicious by the second. Not to mention his treatment was shady at best."

"Just because he didn't want you bumbling buffoon in the room–"

"There was no blood."

"What?"

"If you claim Gaius to be a half blind invalid, _which he is not,_ OK. But I can recognize a blood trail, when I see one. And at no point was there any blood. I talked with Gwen. She didn't find any either and she's in charge of changing her pillows. So: No blood."

"He still saved her life", the prince argued.

"In a very convoluted way."

"What do you mean?"

"Err..." Whoops. He hadn't planned to reveal the magical bugs to anyone. "I just... I mean... A haemorrhage inside the brain is incredibly difficult to treat and definitely would not go away in a few minutes. It was almost like..." He trailed off. "It was just all... very convenient, you know?"

Arthur seemed to have caught onto what Merlin wasn't sure he had wanted to actually confide to him. The prince considered this for a moment before he concluded: "I'll talk to the king."

Merlin almost flinched. He really hoped he hadn't just accidentally condemned the man to the pyre.

* * *

Gaius was leading his newly acquired pack horse through the lower town towards the gate. His gaze wandered over all the faces of people he had known for decades. For most of the younger generation, he had actually helped with their delivery. He had seen those kids grow up and was now leaving them behind. A spike of home sickness went through his heart even though he hadn't even left yet. One of those youngsters had spotted him and was now approaching him.

"Hello, Gaius," the familiar knight greeted.

"Good day, Sir Ewan."

The young man glanced over his shoulder and then continued in a whisper: "I saw the Lady Morgana wandering the halls. Seems like she did have a quite... _miraculous_ recovery, didn't she?"

Gaius' eyes widened. "Are you trying to insinuate something, Sir?"

"I just...", he cut himself off. "I just... want to know for certain. For my peace of mind, you see?"

"If you are under the impression that I did something untoward to the king's ward, you are mistaken."

"So you didn't... You know..." He made a strange wiggling motion with his fingers.

"No, I did not. And to be clear I wasn't even the one, who eventually cured her."

"What?" That was apparently news to the knight.

"A traveling physician arrived with a cure just at the right time to save her life." The old man hoisted his slipping pack back up his shoulders. "So if you would excuse me, this is rather heavy and I have quite a way to go."

"Oh, if you need help, I could..." Ewan finally seemed to register all the packs with household items on the man as well as the horse. "Gaius... Are you _leaving?"_ , he exclaimed.

Multiple heads in the vicinity turned to them and started whispering. So much for leaving without anyone noticing. Among those people Gwen separated themselve from the crowd and approached them.

"Is it true, Gaius? You're leaving?"

The old physician sighed. "Yes, I'm sorry I didn't come and say goodbye."

"I don't want you to go. I don't trust Edwin. There was no blood in Morgana's ear. He put it there. He did something to her. I know he did."

"You need to be careful who you say that to." He gave her a pointed glance.

"Who is this Edwin?", Ewan asked.

"He's the physician I just mentioned."

The knight gasped. "So did he–" There was that ridiculous motion again.

Gaius coughed to cut him off. "Do I need to remind you two of _where we are?"_

Gwen and Ewan both glanced at the curious looks they had already drawn from the passing citizens of Camelot. Chastised Gwen lowered her voice. "But you think the same, don't you? He's evil."

"It's not that simple."

Ewan interjected: "If he's somehow threatening you, you can always count on us. You know that, right?"

Emotions welled up in the old man. If only it was that simple. If only the threat was against himself. But one wrong word and his boy would burn. He could not risk that. "The man is doing no such thing. So if you'll excuse me, I would like to get some distance done while the sun is still out."

"So you're going to turn your back on us?"

"I have no choice, I'm sorry Gwen."

"In life you always have a choice. Sometimes it's easier to think that you don't."

"Well, then. My choice is to leave."

All fight seemed to bleed out of the girl. "Then I'll miss you."

Gwen gave Gaius a small, little kiss on the cheek. "Goodbye Gaius."

The knight was clearly uncomfortable with this turn of events, but held his hand out for the old man. He gave him a hearty handshake. "I'll miss you too."

Gaius was glad that the two had accepted his decision. With an aching heart he continued to lead his horse towards the gate. But he hadn't managed two steps before he felt a slight tuck at his tunic. He looked down to see one of the bakers daughters staring up at him with wide eyes. "Where are you going, uncle Gaius?"

Oh gods. Please. No. "I'm moving out of the city, Marry."

"You're really leaving?!", the kid screeched.

Once again the whispering intensified. Some people pointed towards him in astonishment. He saw Ewan giving him an apologizing gaze for having caused a scene in the first place as more and more people approached them.

"Is it true?"

"But we need you."

"You can't go!"

"Are you alright?"

"Where are you going?"

"Do you have enough food for the journey?"

"Why are you even leaving?"

"Haven't you heard of what happened with the king's ward?"

"So he's getting replaced, just like that?!"

"How dare the king just rob an old man of his home!"

"Do you know, where to go?"

"You can live with us, if the king doesn't want you anymore!"

"We can figure something out."

"If you need help, we could–"

Gaius was absolutely overwhelmed by all the people swarming him. What was even happening. Why did they all– He felt some pressure around his legs. Little Mary was hugging him fiercely.

"I don't want you to go."

* * *

Damn those kids and their stupid big eyes. Gaius was silently regretting all those life choices that led him to waiting in these chambers for Edwin's return. He didn't even know how he would do this. He had a vague idea of knocking the man out with magic, but that was it. He didn't even know, if he would be powerful enough for such a feat. Maybe he should have asked Merlin for help. In hindsight he really should have searched for the boy before coming here. Maybe he could still–

The door opened. Well, there went that option. And Edwin would not react civilly to him snooping through his equipment. Looks like he was doing it this way after all... He was definitely too old for things like this. Despite the gnawing feeling in his stomach he announced: "I will not allow you to kill Uther."

"You've never had a problem letting people die before", the man drawled. "But I'm curious. How do you propose to stop me?"

'Now or never', Gaius thought and then promptly raised his arms. "Wáce ierlic!"

To his horror nothing happened. He stared dumbly at the grinning man before him.

"Hmm. I think you meant: _Vaki ierlt."_

The spell threw Gaius against the wall. It was painful but manageable. The old physician concluded that he must have gone easy on him since he seemed to be relatively unharmed.

Edwin smiled as he took in the slumped form of the traitor in front of him. He leaned over and tried to sound as condescending as he could.

"Have you forgotten everything, Gaius? You're getting too old. I still remember the feeling of the flames, you know? How they licked at my feet and bit into my skin. I will never forget the horrid smell of burned flesh and hair as my face started to melt.–"

"Oh yes, I'm sure. But do you also remember who dragged you out of that fire?"

"What?" The words had hardly registered. Edwin hadn't expected to get interrupted in his well rehearsed speech.

Gaius slowly rose to his feet and looked him in the eye. "Do you remember who it was that hid you from Uther after you got those terrible burns? I do admit it took me a while to sort my memory. Those events took place almost two decades in the past after all."

Edwin turned pale. He couldn't possibly insinuate–

"Do you remember who it was that watched over you and treated those injuries while you were screaming in delirium?"

"No." Edwin was backing away slowly. "It can't be."

"Who do you think would have been able to heal these wounds, that by all accounts should have killed such a young and quite frankly sickly child?"

The man shook his head in denial. "No! It was the druids! They–"

"– were nowhere near Camelot at the time. When it became impossible to hide you further, I reached out to them so they could keep you safe. You were still feverish and in so much pain that I'm sure you don't remember much. But believe me, it wasn't easy to smuggle you out of the city."

"Liar! You're a coward and traitor to your own kind. You're the one, who sold his comrades out to the mad king and watched his own kin burn!"

The old man huffed in indignation. "I may have remained at Uther's side. But I never _'sold anyone out'_. Are you aware what it means to be trusted by the king? It means he asks me for advice. It means I know who's going to be targeted next. It means I am able to warn people before it's too late."

_"Then why_ _didn't you warn us?!"_ , he screamed.

Gaius gazed at the broken man before him. His heart bled for the lost child from all those years ago. He couldn't help the tears that formed in his eyes. He didn't want the boy to know, but he deserved to learn the truth. Gaius took a deep breath to steel himself before he answered: "Because your parents were horrible people, that broke the law a hundred times over."

_"What?"_ All uncertainty was instantly wiped from Edwin's face and was instead replaced by rage. "Just because they didn't bow down to Uther's–"

Gaius didn't let him finish that sentence. "Even under the old law, they would have been condemned as the worst kind of criminals. I know it is unseemly to speak ill of the dead... But your parents practiced the darkest kind of blood magic, which had been outlawed long before Uther's reign. They played with the lives of others for their own gain. They killed whoever stood in their way. They sacrificed children for their god forsaken rituals. They cursed entire bloodlines without asking anything beyond how much one was prepared to pay them for it. Those two were a blight upon this land."

"No. You're making this up."

"You don't believe me? That's fine. But ask yourself one question: What should proper parents do, when their son is jumping into a pyre to save them?"

That threw the man reeling. "What are you trying to say?"

"It pains me that I speak from experience, but usually parents would beg their child to stay away. To turn away and save themselves. Do you remember what your parents did instead?"

He didn't get an answer so he went on: "They _encouraged_ you _."_ Gaius' face grimaced in utter disgust, when he said: "The only thing they shouted at their son, who was already burning for their sake, was to ' _hurry up already'_."

As the old man said those words memories flooded Edwin's mind. Images of flames and burned flesh exploded behind his eyes. He had been exaggerating before. He didn't really remember much about back then. But those words triggered something in his mind – something he had long tried to forget. He felt like he was burning all over again. It hurt. It hurt so much. The fire...

Something touched his arm.

His hazy eyes cleared a bit. Only to show him the traitor's face, which was oddly... _concerned?!_ How dare he! How dare he show him some kind of pity now. That man could have prevented all this in the first place!

He used his magic to smash the man against a pillar.

"You may think you know everything. But do you really? Do you know how it feels to be condemned? I'll show you how we felt after we were deemed _unworthy_ of being saved."

He slowly raised his hand. _"Forbærne yfel."_

* * *

Merlin was on his way to Morgana to tell her that she should team up with Arthur on the Make-Uther-See-Sense-Front, when the prince suddenly came flying around a corner and crashed into him.

"What the? At least watch where you're running, prat!

For once Arthur didn't acknowledge Merlin's rudeness. "Father caught Morgana's illness."

Merlin scrunched up his face. "You can't catch a haemorrhage. That's not even remotely contagious."

They both took a second to process what this meant. Then they both exclaimed at once, "Edwin!", and immediately legged it to the guest chambers.

Upon arrival they were met with an unexpected scene. Part of the room was engulfed by flames that drew a very unnatural circle around one of the pillars. Hefted to said pillar was Gaius, who seemed to be struggling against some invisible chains. The way the fire licked at his feet made it look eerie similar to a pyre. Edwin was watching the spectacle with a joyous grin.

"What's going on here?"

Gaius seemed immensely relieved to see his prince. "Arthur! He was trying to kill the King. I couldn't let him."

"I can rule the kingdom now." Edwin declared, unconcerned about the sword pointed at him. Then he noticed the boy standing behind the prince. He held his hand out towards him. "And with you at my side, we can be all-powerful."

"What?" Arthur was very confused by that offer.

Edwin ignored him. "Think about all the things I could teach you. All you have to do is incapacitate the prince and–"

"Screw your teachings!" Merlin interrupted him. "You're healing and hurting people however you see fit. Now you're trying to burn your own colleague. And for what? A few coins? The king's ear? You're no physician! You're a madman!"

From his position behind the prince he held out his hand and let his eyes flash in warning. "Release him!"

The sorcerer shook his head in disappointment. "How narrow-minded. I expected a bit more ambition from you. It seems the old traitor has filled you up with his phony ideals. Well... it's your loss, Merlin."

Suddenly an axe came flying at the two. On reflex Merlin altered the trajectory a bit to the left and pulled Arthur to the right. The axe embedded itself in the wall with a loud screech of iron on stone. The knight didn't waste any time and charged at the sorcerer. Edwin tried to form some incantation, but Merlin made him slip on thin air. Wich resulted in him stumbling backwards and promptly getting beheaded by a clean swing of a sword.

It was over so quickly. Merlin stared at the severed head that came rolling towards him. It halted with the 'good side' up. But somehow the contorted expression of hatred and fear made the face seem much more inhuman then his scarred side. Merlin felt bile welling up his throat. By trying not to look at it, he noticed that the fire had gone out and immediately focused on Gaius instead.

"Are you alright?" He quickly inspected his mentor from head to toe, lifting his legs here and there to look for blood or singed skin.

Gaius laughed weakly. "Yes. I'm alright. Thank you Merlin."

Merlin threw himself at Gaius and embraced him into a bone crushing hug. After a short while Arthur cleared his throat to get their attention. "I don't want to interrupt your little reunion, but we are kind of in a hurry, you know."

"Oh! Right!" Merlin jumped up and fetched the bug box.

"Why exactly are we in a hurry?"

Merlin kneeled back beside Gaius and answered his question: "Uther's ill. Got the same thing Morgana had. It probably has something to do with these."

He opened the box. Gaius gasped. "Elanthia beetles."

"You know about them?", the prince chimed in.

"Yes. They can be enchanted to enter the brain and feed on it until they devour the person's very soul."

They all took a moment to be horrified by this. Arthur stared at the dead sorcerer in the corner. What had he done? If he was the only one, who could have reversed this... "What are we going to do?"

Merlin snapped out of his stupor and frantically scanned Edwin's stuff for anything useful. Come on... He hectically rummaged through boxes. Come on... think! There had to be something. His eyes fell upon a pair of long pincers. "We're going to cure Uther", he declared, "The same way he did."

* * *

The three arrived in Uther's chambers and immediately crowded around the bed. The prince nervously tapped his foot. "What are you doing?"

"We are removing the beetles." Merlin thrust the pincers into the hands of a terrified looking Gaius.

"Merlin–" The old man's protest was interrupted by the door swinging open.

"Uther has my sickness?" Morgana stormed into the room and promptly joined the others at the bedside. "How did this happen? And where is Edwin?"

Merlin quietly muttered to Gaius: "Go on."

The old men answered just as quietly. "Boy! I can't just–"

Meanwhile Arthur was explaining to Morgana that Edwin was a fraud and a sorcerer and the reason Morgana had fallen ill in the first place.

Merlin insisted: "Just put them in there and make it look like you are doing something." After an exasperated huff Gaius decided to follow Merlin's lead and started uselessly doctoring around inside Uther's ear.

**"I HAD _WHAT_ IN MY BRAIN?!"**, Morgana screamed in outrage.

Merlin took a long breath, swung around to the ruckus and forcefully pointed towards the exit. "Out!"

Arthur crossed his arms in indignation. "I'm not going to leave until I know–"

"We need absolute quiet! If his concentration slips, he might scratch the cerebral tissue, which means: He might _rip a hole into the king's brain._ So: **_GET! OUT!!!"_**

****

Arthur's and Morgana's faces went white in shock. They immediately fled the chambers. As soon as the door was closed again, Gaius stepped away from his patient. "Merlin. I can't just pull the beetles out using a pair of pincers."

"Of course not. So... Any ideas on how to actually do this?"

"It can only be done with magic."

"Really." Merlin looked unimpressed. "Anything a little more specific?"

Gaius shook his head. "I don't know how."

"Well neither do I." Merlin started pacing the room.

"Has Edwin mentioned anything to you?", Gaius asked desperately. "If we don't find a solution, he's going to die."

Merlin pulled at his hair, grumbled something nonsensical, but then sat down on the bed and placed his hands over Uther's ears.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm trying something. Can't exactly make it worse, can I?"

Gaius just shrugged and let him proceed.

_"Bebeode þe arisan ealdu. Áblinnen."_

There was an air of uncertainty in the room. Merlin slowly pulled his hands back, revealing the sleeping bug in his hand. They both stared at it disbelievingly.

"Has anyone ever told you, you're a genius?"

"You might have mentioned it." He grinned back at him.

* * *

Needless to say Uther had a just as miraculous recovery as his ward after the soul eating bug was removed from his brain. But to keep up appearances Gaius had prescribed some bedrest and potions to avoid lasting effects. He had almost finished his preparation of what was essentially nothing more than a strong herb tea.

Drink this. It'll help regain your strength."

The king glared at the vial offendedly. "There's nothing wrong with my strength." Then he switched to a more serious tone. "Do you remember them? His parents?

"I remember them all, Sire."

Uther let that statement hang for a second before he continued: "Well then, wich ones?"

"Edward and Sally Ravendawn."

The king's eyes widened in recognition. "Really. So he decided to follow in his parent's footsteps. What an ungrateful brat. After all your efforts..."

That made the physician hold his ministrations. "What do you mean, Sire?"

"Oh, please. Did you really think, I didn't know?"

Gaius broke into cold sweat. The king huffed. "According to the reports that kid almost burned to a crisp. And yet the body was never found. Whoever took the little demon in must have needed the help of a formidable physician to keep him alive."

_KLIRR!_

Gaius had dropped the potion he was working on. He desperately tried to hide how violently his hands were shaking. The king ignored his little blunder and continued: "You've always served me well all these years, but you are too soft whenever children are involved _."_

He stood up and walked to the door. With his hand on the handle he turned to him once more: "I trust you have learned your lesson, _old friend."_

With that the king closed the door and left the shaking physician behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Deleted/Alternative scene**   
>  _If Merlin's lesson about runes had ended with a little less shouting:_
> 
> Gaius grabbed the parchment and was about to toss it into the hearth, but Merlin stopped him by catching his sleeve. Upon turning back, he found his charge looking up at him with pleading eyes.
> 
> "Could we at least use a rune to burn it?"
> 
> The old man shouldn't condone this. This would only encourage the boy. He really should just toss the parchment into the fire and be done with it. However... the lad watched him with such hopeful eyes full of wonder...
> 
> He huffed in defeat and scribbled another rune next to the others. "This is _Kenaz."_


End file.
